Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin speaks to beneficiaries of grievance scheme

CHENNAI: When her mobile rang around noon, P Mary, an elderly resident of Kumarappapuram in Madhavaram in Chennai, thought it was the regular call from her daughter in Tuticorin. Mary was surprised to hear the voice that she had been hearing on television channels frequently. “Naan yarunu theriyutha? (Do you know who I am?) En peyar sollunga ma (Say my name),” said the voice gently on the other end, prodding Mary to speak.“When I recognized the chief minister all I could do was thank him profusely. He was asking about my well-being. I was so nervous, I forgot to mention the difficulties my family was facing,” said Mary, her voice breaking. She received a government order for Rs 1,000, the social security monthly pension last week. She could not resume her mobile ‘tiffen’ stall due to the Covid-19 pandemic for several months.Chief minister M K Stalin took time off to visit the office of the Tamil Nadu e-governance agency in the city, along with senior colleague S Duraimurugan, on Friday to talk to beneficiaries of the “Ungal Thoguthiyil Muthalamaichar (CM in your constituency).” The scheme is intended to redress grievances submitted by people across the state during Stalin’s state-wide election campaign. He had promised to take up their grievances within 100 days of assuming office.The next call Stalin made was to N Gomathy, a resident of Kullappa Goundan Patti in Cumbam in Theni district. The 63-year-old home maker is disabled. When Gomathy picked up the call, the chief minister said: “Naan Chennai-ilurunthu Stalin pesuren. Order vanthacha? (I am Stalin from Chennai. Have you received the order?)” Excited, Gomathy just nodded her head. She received the order two days ago for the monthly pension of Rs 1,000. Attempts in the past to get the local government office release the monthly pension had failed. So, when Stalin was campaigning in Gokilapuram in the region, the woman dropped her plea for help into the grievance box. The pension comes as some relief to her family, struggling to make ends meet.The chief minister then spoke to M Jamuna, a widow from Wallajah in Ranipet, who relies on the monthly pay of her daughter working for a shoe company. “I am grateful,” she said. Stalin also advised the beneficiaries to whom he spoke to wear masks compulsorily to contain the Covid spread.The DMK government has set up an exclusive department to take care of the four lakh petitions received by Stalin.