Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa
Asserting that Tamil Nadu has been witnessing an all-round growth in her regime, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has pegged over Rs one lakh crore investment to the state from the Global Investors Meet scheduled to be held in Chennai next month.
"All-round development has been witnessed in the past four years (of AIADMK regime). People are happy as every sector is lit up (indicating development)," she said in her Independence Day address from Fort St George.
"In the Global Investors Meet scheduled to be held next month, investments of over one lakh crore will be received (by the state)," Ms Jayalalithaa said.
Power generation has been increased, negating scope for any talk of power cuts, she said, adding that industrial growth and employment opportunities have been created.
The chief minister also referred to a slew of welfare programmes across sectors, underscoring that these had benefited people.
Importance accorded for education, health, provision of free rice, freebies like gold for making mangalsutra (thali) for marriage of young women beneficiaries, mixies, wet grinders, table fans, milch cows and goats were mentioned by the Chief Minister in her speech.
The Chief Minister also referred to several 'Amma' brand schemes like low cost canteen chains, packaged drinking water, pharmacies and cement which, she said, are benefiting the poor and middle class people.
On the occasion, she also announced an increase in pension of freedom fighters from Rs 10,000 to Rs 11,000.
She said the family pension for freedom fighters would be increased to Rs 5,500 from Rs 5,000 to benefit 1,881 persons which would entail an additional expenditure of Rs 1.37 crore to the exchequer.
Also, special pension for descendants of freedom fighters like Veerapandia Kattabomman, Maruthu brothers, Muthuramalinga Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi and for the grandson of VO Chidambaranar would be increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 4,500, benefiting 185 persons, costing an additional Rs 11.10 lakh to the state, she said.