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Tamil Nadu presented the annual state budget for the financial year 2023-24 in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday.It was DMK government's third Budget since it came to power in May 2021.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan announced a monthly honorarium for eligible women family heads in Tamil Nadu, which was one of the major decisions taken by the government. "Rs 1,000 to women heads of families will be given to eligible beneficiaries from September 15th for which Rs 7000 crores (for 2023-24) will be allocated," Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said. September 15 happens to be the birth anniversary of DMK Founder and former Chief Minister Annadurai. However, the eligibility criteria are yet to be announced. This was one of the important election manifesto promises of DMK. The finance minister also announced that Rs 30,000 crore as loans will be given to women Self Help Groups. Further, a monetary allocation of Rs 18,661 crore and Rs 40,299 were made for State Health Care and School Education, respectively, in the Budget for 2023-24. Another Rs 16,262 crore for the Co-Operative department was made available. A financial assistance initiative for civil service aspirants in the state was also announced. "For this 1,000 students will be shortlisted and will be given Rs 7000 financial assistance per month and Rs 25,000 financial assistance, per month, will be provided to the aspirants who clear the mains exam," he said. He also announced the construction of 3,959 houses for Sri Lankan Tamils which will be built at the cost of Rs 223 crore. Also, an announcement was made for the construction of Memorials for Tamil language agitation martyrs -- Thiruvalargal Thalamuthu and Natarajan -- which will be set up in Chennai. In order to propagate the ideals of Annal Ambedkar, the state government will provide a grant of Rs 5 crore to translate his works into the Tamil language. Efforts will also be taken to promote and support sea cruises that will connect places of significance in Tamil culture. The state government will expand the widely popular Chennai Sangamam cultural programme to eight major cities in the coming years. To preserve folk arts and to ensure that these traditions continue to flourish in the future, 25 part-time folk art training centres will be set up across the State. To highlight the contribution of the ruler Cholas, and to preserve artefacts and relics of that era, a grand "Chola Museum" will be set up in Thanjavur. Recognising the valour and supreme sacrifice made by security forces in guarding the nation, the ex-gratia that is being offered by the state government to the next of kin of armed forces personnel hailing from Tamil Nadu who are killed in war or war-like operations will be doubled from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. (ANI)
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