Tamil Nadu

Old age pension for more weavers: Minister

In appreciation: Minister for Backward Classes and Handlooms, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, distributing awards to cooperative societies at the All India Cooperation Week celebration function in Aruppukottai on Tuesday.

ARUPPUKOTTAI: Efforts are being made to provide old-age pension to more weavers in the Aruppukottai taluk, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare and Handloom K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran has said.

Addressing a meeting organised to mark the 55th All-India Cooperative Week here on Monday, he said 1,000 weavers were getting the old-age pension, and 50 were getting family pension.

He said 4,000 handloom weavers and 1,000 powerloom weavers were given free power connection and 1,500 children of the weavers were getting educational assistance.

Stating that the Department of Cooperation in the district was functioning very well, he said the cooperative banks were making profits. They were offering crop and other agricultural loans to farmers at 4 per cent rate of interest.

The Minister said that work on underground drainage scheme at a cost of Rs. 45 crore in Aruppukottai town would begin in January.

A cement road at a cost of Rs. 3 crore would be laid between Pavadi Thoppu and Marakadai bus stop, through the bazaar. Besides, many major roads would be converted into cement roads.

Speaking on the occasion, the Collector, K. Raghupathy, said that the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, had waived agricultural loans despite the Reserve Bank of India and World Bank advising not to do so.

The cooperative movement that was started with a view to bringing about a renaissance had thrived over the years and had spread as cooperative urban banks, stores and thrift and credit societies.

The Minister disbursed financial assistance to the tune of over Rs. One crore to 1,192 members of cooperative societies.

He also distributed awards to the best cooperative societies. The Joint Registrar, Ravikumar, was present.

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