TIRUCHY: Puthumai Penn Thittam has been helping girl students across the state to pursue higher education and the state government is committed to uplift the standard of living of the women by all means, said Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy on Monday.

Interacting with the students of Thiru Vi Ka Government Arts College in Tiruvarur, the Higher Education Minister said, with 14 UG and 11 PG courses in this college, it was targeted at rural students to undergo their higher education.

“Our late chief minister M Karunanidhi spearheaded in bringing this college in the locality as he was particular about uplifting the rural areas and in the same vein, CM MK Stalin has also been initiating a series of programmes for the rural students,” Ponmudy said.

He said that the visionary scheme of Puthumai Penn Thittam, launched by the CM has been supporting the rural girls to pursue their higher education. Similarly, Naan Muthalvan scheme has been helping them get scholarships.

Earlier, Ponmudy announced the construction of as many as 21 classrooms at an estimated cost of Rs 5.77 crore in view of the centenary celebration of late chief minister Karunanidhi.