Date:12/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/12/stories/2008051259490500.htm

Tamil Nadu

‘Pattas’ distributed to Pathuvanchery, Mudichur residents

Special Correspondent

It is part of State’s welfare measures: Minister

Photo: K. Manikandan

Union Minister T.R. Baalu hands over land ownership document to a woman at Pathuvanchery near Tambaram on Saturday. — .

TAMBARAM: Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways and South Chennai Lok Sabha MP, T.R. Baalu, gave away ‘pattas’ to a section of residents of Pathuvanchery and Mudichur near Tambaram on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after the function, Mr. Baalu said the distribution was part of several welfare measures initiated by the State government.

The land ownership documents were given in the name of women. Had they been issued to men, the government would have strayed away from the concept of women empowerment.

Sethu project

Responding to a query on the Supreme Court’s directions to the Centre on finding a new alignment for the Sethu Samudram project, the Minister said the court had only made its observations. It had not given any directions.

Grade separator

Mr. Baalu said the grade separator at Kathipara would be finished in a few months’ time. Once ready, vehicles from 12 different directions would be travelling at the same time without any interference.

Minister for Revenue and Housing I. Periasami said 4.33 lakh free ‘pattas’ had been distributed in Tamil Nadu, including 10,000 in hilly regions, so far.

Kancheepuram Collector Santhosh K. Misra said in Tambaram taluk alone, 2,072 ‘pattas’ were ready for distribution to people living in ‘poramboke’ areas.

Of these, nearly 1,100 were distributed on Saturday.

About 700 pattas were distributed in Madambakkam and 400 in Mudichur.