Minister for Social Welfare and Women’s Rights P. Geetha Jeevan on Wednesday announced in the Assembly that 43,131 noon-meal centres, which cater to 42.71 lakh students, would receive an additional fund of ₹61.61 crore.
During the discussion on demand for grants for her department, Ms. Jeevan said that ₹9.66 crore would be spent on purchasing gas stoves for 25, 440 centres.
The Minister further said that shelters for transpersons, Aran, would be built in Chennai and Madurai at a cost of ₹64 lakh. An electronic application would be developed to monitor developmental delays in children, and provide immediate treatment. The application will be able to measure the learning abilities and growth in children before they are sent to school.
Pregnant women and new mothers would be trained in breastfeeding to prevent infant deaths owing to wrong breastfeeding techniques, she added.
Ms. Jeevan further said that ₹2.02 crore would be spent to train workers in the grassroots in measuring and monitoring early child care and education, and developmental and nutritional deficiencies.
A child-friendly environment will be created in special courts that hears POCSO cases in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Dharmapuri and Virudhunagar districts at a cost of ₹50 lakh.
The Tamil Nadu Government Observation Homes and Special Homes and Protection Homes would employ 10 social workers and counsellors to deal with psychological issues of children.
Special camps
Ms. Jeevan further said that special camps would be held across the State to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to additional equipment to make them self-sufficient.
A total of 625 camps would be conducted across 99 corporation zones, 138 municipalities, and 388 panchayat unions over three months to implement this.
Published – April 17, 2025 12:47 am IST
