CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin led DMK regime has honoured 260 Tamil scholars by distributing awards under various heads in the last three years.

A detailed release issued by the state information department on the various initiatives taken by the state Tamil development department in the three-year regime said that many Tamil awards like Thiruvalluvar award, Perarignar Anna award, Thanthai Periyar award, Annal Ambedkar award, Pavendar Bharathidasan award, Chief Minister Kanini Tamil award and Tamil Semmal award were distributed under 35 different heads to Tamil scholars for rendering service to Tamil language development.

Pointing out that the cash prize for the awards has been doubled to Rs 2 lakh by Chief Minister Stalin, the release said that the CM has also announced a new Ilakkiya Maamani award carrying Rs 5 lakh reward each to three Tamil scholars per year.

In the last three years, awards have been distributed to 260 recipient Tamil scholars in addition to the Thagaisal Tamizhar Award which would henceforth be distributed by the Tamil development department instead of the state public department.

Elaborating on the various renowned Tamil works nationalized to facilitate their reach among the Tamil population, the government release said that works of as many as 22 Tamil scholars, including K Anbazhagan, Nedunchezhian and 'Silamboli' S Sellappan were nationalized and Rs 2.85 crore royalty has been disbursed towards royalty for the books.

The government led by Stalin also launched a new dream housing scheme of providing high income group houses promoted by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board to Tamil scholars who are recipients of Sahitya Akademi and Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar Semmozhi Tamil awards and so far allotted houses to six such award recipients.