The ex-gratia amount offered by the Tamil Nadu government to families of deceased armed forces officials will be doubled. Presenting the state budget on Monday, March 20, Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said that the financial compensation provided to the kin of armed forces personnel who had died during war or war-like operations will be increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh.

The Finance Minister said that the compensation has been increased to recognise the “valour and supreme sacrifice made by security forces in guarding our nation”. PTR added that the monetary grants that are offered to gallantry awards and/or distinguished service medal winners in the armed forces hailing from Tamil Nadu will be increased by four times.

The Budget introduced several welfare schemes for the people of Tamil Nadu, apart from the increase in ex-gratia. The Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme has been extended to workers in factories and in the unorganised sectors. This is a flagship scheme introduced by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to provide healthcare to people’s doorsteps. PTR announced that this scheme will be expanded to 711 factories in the first phase and will cover around 8.53 lakh workers. The scheme will conduct health check-up camps in the factories with special emphasis on non-communicable diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.