CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday announced a slew of welfare measures in his 77th Independence Day speech, including the constitution of a welfare board for gig workers and Kalaignar Centenary Park at a cost of Rs 25 crore on Cathedral Road in the city.
Waxing eloquent about various initiatives taken by the DMK to honour freedom fighters so far, Stalin announced a Rs 1,000 hike in the monthly family pension (Rs 10,000 so far) distributed to freedom fighters' and their families and said that it was a common sight to see gig workers of Ola, Uber, Swiggy and Zomato like service providers traversing on the roads of Chennai like cities to deliver quick service.
"Lives of such workers who race against time are important. To protect their overall wellbeing, a separate welfare board would be constituted for them, " the CM said.
Stalin also announced that the scheme of providing Rs 1 lakh subsidy to women autodrivers for buying new auto rickshaws, under which 141 persons have benefitted so far, would be extended to another 500 women.
The Chief Minister also announced that a new Kalaignar Centenary Park would be established at a cost of Rs 25 crore in the 6.09 acre land near Senganthal Poonga on Cathedral Road in the city.
Another attention grabbing announcement in the Chief Minister's I Day speech was the promise of filling up existing vacancies in the state government.
Stalin announced that nearly 55,000 vacancies in various departments would be filled in the current year. Going by the CM's announcement, the state government would launch a scheme to train 10,000 ex-servicemen to help them secure jobs.