Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday handed over a bond certificate for 168.68 kg of gold, belonging to the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district, to the custodians of the temple.
The invested gold, valued at ₹99.77 crore, would bring the temple an annual interest of ₹2.25 crore. Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P.K. Sekarbabu, retired High Court judge R. Mala, temple chairman of trustees R. Arulmurugan and senior officials were present.
Under the Gold Investment Scheme, gold items of different purity, obtained as offerings and not used for the deity, are converted into 24-carat bars and invested in the State Bank of India, and the interest accrued from the investment is used for the development of the concerned temple.
Agricultural subsidy
In another event, the CM also launched the distribution of input subsidy relief assistance to farmers from six districts that were recently declared as having witnessed agriculture droughts of a moderate nature. The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned a sum of ₹181 crore to provide input subsidy relief assistance to benefit over 1.87 lakh affected farmers in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tenkasi, Pudukkottai, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi districts.
The CM also virtually inaugurated new buildings for the Agriculture Department constructed in various locations across the State at a total cost of ₹279 crore, in the presence of Minister for Agriculture M.R.K. Panneerselvam and Minister for Industries T.R.B. Rajaa.
Mr. Stalin also launched the distribution of agricultural machinery such as power tillers and power weeders at subsidized rates to beneficiaries under the Kalaignarin Anaithu Grama Orunginaintha Velan Valarchi Thittam.
In another event, the CM also handed over incentives to the tune of ₹2.24 crore to a total of 134 sportspersons, who secured laurels at various national events, including the Khelo India Games. Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena and senior officials were present.
