Tamil Nadu: Kids to get fortified rice in noon meals

CHENNAI: The state government on Wednesday announced that it would supply fortified rice, enriched with nine nutrients, to all noon meal and anganwadi centres across five districts of Tamil Nadu. The project will be implemented on a pilot basis in Dharmapuri, Madurai, Thanjavur, Tuticorin and Nilgiris districts. A fund of 5.29 crore has been allotted for the project, read the policy note issued by the department of social welfare and nutritious meal programme during the assemble session.
During a debate on demands for grants for social welfare and the welfare of disabled persons, DMK MLA Sekar Babu criticised the authorities for overlooking effective implementation of various policies.
Babu said disability welfare boards were practically "non-functional". "Since 2017, both the state and district boards have not been working. Unless you get the members on the field, how will you know what are the issues and grievances faced by the people with disabilities?" When minister for social welfare V Saroja said the meeting was delayed as the model code of conduct was in place, Babu replied, "You mean to say that the model code of conduct has been in place on all days since the last two years?"
A recent study conducted by the state revealed that as on May, there are 13.25 lakh people with disabilities in the state carrying identity cards, disability certificates and passbooks.
The MLA further said that there were a lot of pending applications under the state's flagship marriage assistance scheme. Babu said that every year about 1.8 lakh applications are received in the state's portal, out of which at least 3 lakh are still pending. To this the minister replied that all applications get processed on a priority basis. Babu also pointed to the rising number of beggars in the city, and highlighted the need to rehabilitate them.
"The are no beggars. We cannot call them beggars unless the police file cases against them," said the minister.