CHENNAI: Information Minister Kadambur Raju on Thursday promised a welfare board for journalists based on a report from a four-member committee to be headed by State Finance Secretary S Krishnan.
Intervening during the speech of DMK MLA Thayagam Kavi on the demands for grants for information department, the minister said Tamil development secretary, Information Director and Labour Commissioner will be part of the committee which will study all feasibilities for forming a welfare board for journalists.
The minister also said pension, family pension and other benefits being given by the State government would be extended to journalists from Tamil Nadu, working in New Delhi.
New announcements
Replying to the discussion later, the minister said Gandhi Mandapam at Kanniyakumari will be refurbished at a cost of Rs 30.52 lakh. Similarly, the memorial for Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi at Ettayapuram and memorial for K Kamaraj at Kanniyakumari will be beautified at a cost of Rs 10 lakh each. A library will be set up at the memorial of Quaid-e-Milleth in Chennai.
He announced that a digital electronic archive will be set up to protect over 7,700 videotapes of Chief Minister, proceedings of Assembly etc. In the first phase, work on digitising 4,000 videotapes will be started.
New awards
Meanwhile, Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, K Pandiarajan announced that new awards will be instituted by the State government in the names of Tamil savant and founder of Samarasa Suddha Sanmarga Sangam, Arutperunjothi Vallalar, late Tamil scholar Devaneya Pavanar, spiritual poet Karaikkal Ammaiyar and Veeramamunivar, who had made immense contributions to Tamil literature.
Tamil lab in Varanasi
He also said a Tamil lab will be set up at Banaras Hindu University at Varanasi to help teach Tamil to non-Tamil speakers easily. Besides, tuition fees and hostel fees would be given to those students who study Tamil as a second language in this university. A pocket dictionary will also be published. The minister also announced that steps will be taken to recognise Tirukkural as a global text, through UNESCO.
Announcements under Rule 110 for municipal administration, agriculture and Adi Dravidar welfare departments
Villupuram municipality is completing its 100th year on October 1. To commemorate it, as a special grant, the government will provide Rs 50 crore for improving basic infrastructure
An international flower auction centre will be established at Hosur in Krishnagiri district, at a cost of `20.20 crore
`50 crore will be sanctioned to provide infrastructure facilities, including drinking water supply, laying link roads, installing street lights, etc., for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes
Residential schools for ST students will be upgraded. The residential primary school at Ezhuthur in Villupuram district will be upgraded as middle school while the middle schools at Pacherry in Villupuram district, Arasaveli in Tiruvannamalai district, Pokkapuram in The Nilgiris district will be upgraded as high schools. Similarly, high school at Innadu in Villupuram district would be upgraded as higher secondary school. For this purpose, Rs 6.43 crore would be allocated
Community halls will be established at K Puliyankulam (Madurai dt), Vangalkuchipalayam (Karur), Karimangalam (Dharmapuri), Goundanpalayam (Namakkal) and Rengasamudram (Tirunelveli). These will be constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore and would enable Adi Dravidar community celebrate functions in a grand manner