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Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 6 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated and flagged off several development initiatives in Chennai. Stalin flagged off 23 vehicles purchased for Rs 3.62 crore to benefit students in tribal hostels and residential schools, along with three vehicles donated through CSR funds, making a total of 26 vehicles. He also flagged off 25 emergency ambulances worth Rs 5.78 crore for the medical needs of tribal people and 20 mobile medical vehicles costing Rs 4 crore. Under the Public and Rehabilitation Department, the Chief Minister inaugurated 772 new houses built at a cost of Rs 44.48 crore, with basic amenities provided at Rs 6.58 crore, across eight Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps
in Virudhunagar, Tiruvannamalai, Thoothukudi, and Sivagangai districts. Under the Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, Stalin inaugurated India’s second Elephant Mahout Village with staff quarters for mahouts and elephant caretakers at Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Coimbatore district. Under the Health and Family Welfare Department, the Chief Minister inaugurated additional hospital blocks in Katpadi Government Hospital, Palani District Headquarters Hospital, Tirupathur District Headquarters Hospital, Gudalur District Headquarters Hospital, Sankarapuram Government Hospital, and Melur Government Hospital, built at a cost of Rs 108.50 crore. He also inaugurated district drug warehouses costing Rs 42 crore in Tenkasi, Tirupathur, Kallakurichi, Mayiladuthurai, Madurai, Tirunelveli, and Thanjavur. Other inaugurations included a new laboratory block at the Food Analysis Laboratory Campus in Madurai, costing Rs 1.49 crore; a new Drug Control Directorate building in Chennai, for Rs 14.85 crore; and an Assistant Drug Controller’s Office building in Kanchipuram district, for Rs 75 lakh. Under the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy, new buildings costing Rs 6.22 crore were inaugurated, and foundationswere laid for projects worth Rs 20.15 crore. Advanced equipment costing Rs 24 crore was also launched in Food Analysis Laboratories at Thanjavur, Salem, and Palayamkottai. Under the Law Department, via video conference, Stalin inaugurated academic and administrative block buildings at Madurai Government Law College constructed at Rs 48.20 crore and a library building at Vellore Government Law College costing Rs 6.46 crore. Under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, he announced an increase in pension for retired temple employees from Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 and family pension from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. For the first time, EPF pensioners will also receive an ex-gratia pension. Cheques were distributed to 12 beneficiaries representing 3,037 pensioners and 769 family pensioners. In the School Education Department, Stalin released the Hindi translation of the book Sabhyata Ki Yatra: Sindhu Se Vaigai, authored by Thiru R. Balakrishnan, IAS (Retd.), Trustee of Roja Muthiah Research Library Foundation. Under the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, he inaugurated 20 Social Justice Hostels costing Rs 137.31 crore, classroom buildings in 39 Adi Dravidar Welfare Schools built at Rs 39.29 crore, 250 houses for tribal people under the Tholkudi Scheme costing Rs 12.72 crore, 16 Village Knowledge Centres built at Rs 15.93 crore, and nine multipurpose centres costing Rs 5.40 crore. Finally, under the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board, the Chief Minister distributed incentives and certificates to construction workers trained in various trades, and met 40 students from Tamil Nadu who secured first place at the national level in the 2025 All-India Trade Test. (ANI)
