Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said here on Monday that the regional administration has decided to provide free laptops to class 12 students studying in government schools in the Union Territory.
Delivering his address after unfurling the national tricolor to mark the liberation of the Union Territory from French rule, the Chief Minister said that the need to provide laptops following the feedback about the difficulties being faced by poor students to attend online classes in the time of pandemic. The decision was taken.
The chief minister also announced that the government has decided to renew the lunch program when classes resume for lower classes on November 8. The government has decided to take over the school run by the now-closed Lingareddypalayam sugar mill. He said that the education department would take over the school.
Referring to the complaints of damaged roads, the Chief Minister said that after the withdrawal of North East Monsoon, the government would start the work of repairing the roads. 33 crore will be released from the constituency fund of MLAs in the first phase.
To deal with the floods, the government has taken up the construction of culverts at Mettuvaikkal at Gundu Salai, Mettuvaikkal in Gundu Salai and Ellapillaichavady in front of NH Road Junction and improvement of Upper Nallah from Kamaraj Salai Junction to Vanarapet. The construction of 220 residential units is in progress at Chinnayapuram under the Smart City programme.
On COVID-19 vaccination, the Chief Minister said that 70% of the UT’s population has already been vaccinated. “Adequate vaccines are available. So, I appeal to those who have not been vaccinated, to get the jabs without any fear and hesitation,” he said. Mr Rangasamy also appealed to the people to follow the COVID-19 protocol during the Diwali festival.
Earlier, the Chief Minister was given a guard of honor by the regional police. March past by various contingents of police, fire service and NCC and cultural programs were part of the celebrations. Similar celebrations were also held in the enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.
On November 1, 1954, the French flag was lowered at the Governor’s House and the Indian national tricolor was unfurled with a 21-gun salute.