Community baby shower organised for 150 expectant mothers in Tirunelveli

Tamil Nadu officials participate in community baby shower, distribute gifts, electric vehicles, and welfare measures for differently abled individuals.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu and Minister for Local Administration K.N. Nehru on Monday participated in a community baby shower organised here and greeted 150 expectant mothers with a range of gifts.

The traditional event is organised in all taluks every year to sensitise pregnant women through the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) of the Department of Social Welfare. After identifying and registering details about expectant mothers, ICDS workers contact them regularly to sensitise them on the importance of taking nutritious food during pregnancy and organise a community baby shower. Gifts such as bangles, fruits, turmeric, sweets, savouries and saris are given on a platter. Moreover, five-variety rice, which is given during the event, is also served to them.

Tirunelveli Mayor G. Ramakrishnan, Commissioner N.O. Sukhaputra, District Revenue Officer M. Suganya and Palayamkottai MLA M. Abdul Wahab were present.

Mr. Appavu and Mr. Nehru also handed over ₹1.02 crore-worth 39 electric vehicles to be used in nine panchayat unions for garbage collection at an event organised at the Collectorate.

Mr. Nehru said the State Government allocated ₹27,000 crore for rural local bodies, while the urban local bodies were getting ₹25,000 crore during the current fiscal for executing development works. The electric vehicles for collecting garbage from the public at their doorstep without polluting the environment were given to keep the villages clean. While the degradable waste was being converted into manure, the non-degradable waste was being supplied to cement factories as supplement fuel.

“We have planned to create a unit in Madurai to generate power from garbage collected in the district,” Mr. Nehru said.

Mr. Appavu and Mr. Nehru also handed over ₹50.90 lakh-worth welfare measures to 75 physically challenged persons and prizes to 300 winners of sports events organised for differently abled students at a function organised to mark World Differently Abled Day.