Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced a marginal increase in the monthly pension of freedom fighters and their families on the occasion of Independence Day on Saturday.
Saluting those who sacrificed their lives and property to get India its freedom, Karunanidhi said: "The monthly pension for freedom fighters has been increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 4,000 and the freedom fighters' family pension has been increased to Rs 2,500 from Rs 2,000."
After unfurling the national flag from the ramparts of Fort St George for the 13th time in his political career, Karunanidhi listed out his government's achievements.
"The government has not levied any new taxes since 2006 though it has introduced several welfare measures for the poor like the Re 1 for a kilo of rice, free colour televisions, gas stove schemes and health insurance schemes for the poor and government employees," he said.
According to him, this year's Independence Day was special as it was being celebrated in the backdrop of statues of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar being unveiled in Bangalore and Kannada poet Sarvajna's statue being erected in Chennai - a move that will help foster better ties between the two states.
Later Karunanidhi distributed the Kalpana Chawla Awards 2009 to three courageous women of the state - R Rajalakshmi, a differently-abled sportswoman from Madurai, N Rajamaheswari, professor and head of urogynaecology at the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, and Chennai student Pushpanjali.
{{/usCountry}}Later Karunanidhi distributed the Kalpana Chawla Awards 2009 to three courageous women of the state - R Rajalakshmi, a differently-abled sportswoman from Madurai, N Rajamaheswari, professor and head of urogynaecology at the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, and Chennai student Pushpanjali.
{{/usCountry}}Independence Day was celebrated across the state as district collectors unfurled the tricolour. In many schools, students turned out early in the morning with the national flag pinned on their uniforms.