CHENNAI: MDMK councillor S Jeevan on Friday urged the Corporation to raise the ex gratia assistance for councillors who die in office from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, citing rising costs.
“Enhanced financial assistance will offer meaningful support to families in the event of a councillor’s death while in office,” Jeevan said, and pointed out that allocations for ward-level infrastructure had not kept pace with inflation.
Several DMK ward councillors, and IUML councillor Fathima Muzaffer Ahmed welcomed the proposal to introduce a rope car facility at Marina, which was announced in the budget for the coming financial year.
Ahmed also called for free public Wi-Fi in major gathering spaces across the city, on the lines of initiatives implemented in New Delhi, saying the move would benefit students, young people and other users in high-footfall areas.