Chennai: Coming up with six promises for the conservancy workers in the urban areas of the State like free breakfast, medical treatment for ailments caused by the hazardous conditions in which they work and educational assistance to their children, the State Cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister M K Stalin appealed to them end their strike and return to work. The State Cabinet recalled the welfare measures that the DMK governments had launched for them like the welfare board in 2007 and the six promises were announced by State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu who said that those starting business ventures would get a 35 per cent subsidy, subject to maximum amount of Rs 3.5 lakh, on the loans they took. For those who repaid the loans without any default, another subsidy of six per cent would be given and the government would allocate Rs 10 crore annually for the scheme, the Minister said. To the families of the conservancy workers who die in harness, the financial assistance would work out totally to Rs 10 as the government decided to ensure that they were covered for an insurance payment of Rs 5 crore that would be in addition to the solatium of Rs 5 crore that they would be entitled through their welfare board. Whichever school the children of conservancy workers were admitted to, the government would provide scholarships to cover school fees, hostel charges and textbook and notebook costs through a new higher education scholarship scheme, the Minister said. Conservancy workers in urban areas living without a own house would be entitled for allotment of houses constructed by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board that would build 30,000 houses in the localities that they resided, he said. In rural areas, the workers would be given preference in allotment of houses constructed under the Kalignar Dream House scheme, he said. Since conservancy workers started their work early in the day and were unable to cook and bring food to their work spots, the government would provide them free breakfast, through the local bodies. The scheme would start in the Chennai Corporation area and then be implemented in the rest of the State.
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