Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin launched free meal scheme for sanitary workers.
Credit: X/@mkstalin
Chennai: Over 31,000 sanitary workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will be served one meal everyday with Chief Minister M K Stalin launching the scheme on Saturday. The workers will be served the meal – breakfast, lunch, or dinner, according to their shift timings in tiffin boxes at buildings owned by the GCC across the city.
The scheme, which was announced on the eve of Independence Day amid massive protests by sanitary workers in the city demanding permanent jobs, will be extended to the rest of 24 Corporations and 138 municipalities in the state from December 6.
The scheme, which will benefit 31,373 sanitary workers in Chennai, will be implemented at a cost of Rs 186 crore, officials said. Hailing the sanitary workers for their unwavering commitment and dedication, Stalin said the government will establish rest lounges with washrooms and space for changing clothes in all 200 wards in Chennai city, implementing a key demand of sanitary workers.
“Not just me, the entire Chennai Corporation is indebted and thankful for your dedicated service. The new scheme will provide nutritious meals and will be served in steel lunch boxes so that the food is warm,” Stalin said.
Stalin hailed the role played by sanitary workers in keeping Chennai clean and recalled the government’s decision to launch a special health scheme to detect and treat diseases like TB, and skin ailments affecting sanitation workers and enhancing the ex-gratia granted to the families of such workers who die in the line of their duty from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
“We decided to grant a 35 per cent subsidy up to Rs 3.5 lakh with 6.5 per cent interest for conservancy workers who turn entrepreneurs. A sum of Rs 10 crore has been allotted for this and a new scheme will be launched to cover tuition, and hostel fees for children of sanitation workers,” the CM said.
He also added that 30,000 urban houses under Kalaignar Kanavu Illam scheme will be allotted to rural conservancy workers over a period of three years.