Jayalalithaa announces hike in pension to freedom fighters

Chennai, Aug 16: Asserting that her government was taking measures for development of key sectors to ensure growth, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today said the state's foodgrain production touched a record 130 lakh tonne last year, while its higher education enrolments went up by 44.8 per cent.

In her address after unfurling the national flag at Fort St George here on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day, she also announced a Rs 1,000 increase in the freedom fighters pension from Rs 11,000.

Jayalalithaa said the AIADMK government was taking measures for the development of all sectors including priority sector, industrial sector and services sector. She said year after year the state was cloking new achievements in foodgrains production due to implementation of model schemes for the welfare of farmers and to increase food production.

"Last year, Tamil Nadu achieved highest ever production of 130 lakh tonne," she said. Noting that her government was taking various steps such as mid-day meal and issue of free laptops to encourage students, she said it was also according 'high importance' to the higher education sector.

Tamil Nadu ranked first among other states since with a 44.8 per cent rise in admissions in higher education. "In the last five years, 62 new colleges and information technology institutions and National Law School had been set up. It is for these reasons that Tamil Nadu has registered a 44.8 per cent rise in increase in higher education admissions", she said.

In the health sector too, Tamil Nadu had become a model state due to several measures, including the Chief Minister's Health Insurance scheme, maternity benefit scheme. She said due to availability of adequate electricity, good infrastructure and skilled labourers, the industrial growth in the state had increased.

Besides big factories, there had been an increase in the number of micro, small and medium enterprises set up in the state, she added. Jayalalithaa announced an increase in the freedom fighters pension from existing Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 and family pension to the legal heirs from Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000.

She also said the special pension given to the descendants of freedom fighters who played a cruical role in the freedom movement would be increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.

PTI