Vellore govt expo aimed at cashing in on festival holidays

The government exhibition in Vellore last year took off late and was able to collect only around Rs 5 lakh against the usual collection of Rs 15 lakh. So to avoid revenue loss and to meet the needs of the people during holidays, officials made a clear plan and started the exhibition just before the festival vacation.

State Information Minister Kadambur S Raju, who inaugurated the government-organised exhibition in Vellore on Monday said that Vellore was one among the 6 districts where the exhibition was conducted every year.

He said that the government conducted exhibitions in 10 districts and the expo was a regular event only in six locations of which Vellore was also one.

Stating that the exhibition would showcase the activities and achievements of 27 government departments, he said, officials would also explain the public various schemes being implemented by different departments. He added that this was also a chance for the public to learn the functions of the government.

The minister later distributed government welfare measures worth Rs 2.50 crore to 536 beneficiaries.

Interacting with the media, Kadambur Raju said that despite the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) order to increase the rates of cable TVs, the fee would not be increased in Tamil Nadu. “Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has promised to take up the issue with the central government,” he added.

Commercial Taxes Minister KC Veeramani, MLAs S Ravi (Arakkonam) and G Loganathan (KV Kuppam), information director P Shankar and Vellore Collector SA Raman were also present during the inaugural function.