Chennai, Sep 26 (IANS): Cementing further the 'Amma' brand in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa Friday announced sale of cement bags at a subsidised rate of Rs.190 per bag under the Amma Cement Scheme.

The venture has been launched a day ahead of the judgment in the Rs.66 crore disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said the cement prices in Tamil Nadu have gone up owing the reduced supplies from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

She said the cement manufacturers in the two states have hiked up their prices by Rs.80-100 and are selling a bag at Rs.310.

According to Jayalalithaa, the government would procure 200,000 tonnes of cement from private manufacturers and this would be stored in the warehouses belonging to local bodies to be sold for Rs.190 per bag.

Under this scheme, beneficiaries can buy up to a maximum of 750 bags for 1,500 sq.ft at 50 bags for 100 sq.ft of construction.

For repairs and renovation works, 10 to 100 bags can be bought under the scheme.

Jayalalithaa said that the Tamil Nadu Cement Corporation would be the nodal agency for the scheme that would be implemented by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and the rural development department.

With this, cement is one more product being sold under the Amma brand in the state following bottled water, salt, vegetables, pharmacies selling medicines at subsidised rates, and canteens offering affordable breakfast and lunch to working people.