Tamil Nadu government to implement State-level plan to prevent drug abuse

The Tamil Nadu government will formulate a State-level drug abuse prevention action plan, Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment K. Jegadeshwari said in the Assembly on Monday.

“It will be implemented at a cost ₹3.80 crore to prevent drug abuse among children and youth and provide rehabilitation and social integration support to the victims,” she said.

Announcing measures for childcare and early childhood development, the Minister said the government would establish 300 new Anganwadis at a cost of ₹51 crore in urban areas. Select Anganwadis would be reconstructed at a cost of ₹12.96 crore. A sum of ₹5.20 crore had been allocated for developing learning materials in Tamil and English for Anganwadi children in 50 blocks as a pilot project.

For senior citizens, Ms. Jegadeshwari said a retirement residential facility with quality services would be established on a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of ₹14.50 crores.

“To help in the rehabilitation and care of senior citizens at old age homes, physiotherapy and palliative care services will be provided at a cost of ₹5.5 crore per year. The scheme will provide physiotherapy, pain management and palliative care to improve the health of the elderly,” she said.

Presenting the demand for grants for the Differently Abled Welfare Department, Ms. Jegadeshwari said a petrol-powered scooter or battery-powered device would be given to persons with dwarfism at a cost of ₹4 crore.

Further, 10 additional homes for the persons with mental illness would be established through NGOs with an allocation of ₹1.82 crore. At a cost of ₹1.77 crore, vocational training would be provided through NGOs at 10 homes for persons with intellectual disability, she said.

Two homes would be established for persons with spinal cord injuries at an estimated cost of ₹49 lakh. The Minister also announced that bus travel would be made free for all persons with disabilities and their companions.