Jayalalithaa announces funds for renovation of churches, mosques

In yet another initiative aimed at fulfilling AIADMK's electoral promise, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday announced funds for renovation of churches and mosques under the Waqf board.

She also unveiled welfare measures for members of SC and ST communities, including 'quick electricity connections' to 1000 Adi Dravida (SC community) farmers.

Pointing out that the party had promised to give funds for carrying out renovation and repair of churches in the run up to May 16 assembly election, Jayalalithaa said a sum of Rs one crore would be allotted for the purpose. In an official release here, she also referred to a similar assurance for refurbishment and repair of mosques and darghas under Waqf by creating a corpus.

The state presently disbursed Rs 60 lakh per annum for renovation of mosques and darghas under Waqf, she noted.

"Now, in tune with the electoral promise, a corpus will be created,” she said adding, “I have ordered release of Rs three crore for the corpus fund.” 

Through such initiatives, the places of worship of minorities will get a facelift, she said.

Ordering electricity connection for pumpsets to 1,000 farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes, under a plan to provide quick power supply, she said the aggregate deposit of Rs 7.50 crore that has to be remitted to TANGEDCO (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation) by the ryots will be borne by State-run Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation Limited.