Chennai, Jun 16 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday announced that an amount of Rs 4000 will again be given to all ration cardholders of Tamil Nadu along with 15 kg of rice. A sum of Rs 341 crores has been allocated for providing immediate assistance to people, the CM said.

Stalin said that free food kits will also be distributed to all cardholders, adding that policemen will be provided with an additional Rs 5000.

The Chief Minister while addressing mediapersons said that the government would take steps to include more people in the health insurance scheme. The government will commence a new Rs 10 lakh insurance scheme for media persons and a Rs 25 lakh insurance scheme for health workers and corporation employees.

An amount of Rs 3 lakh will be deposited in the name of children who have lost both their parents due to Covid-19. Women who have lost their jobs owing to Covid-19 would be provided loans to open new ventures. Rs 84 crore has been earmarked for this.

These women will be provided an interim solatium of Rs 6000.

Stalin said that the government would continue to bear the expenses for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals and will include the charges of PPE kits and other incidental expenses in the private hospitals.

The CM added that strict action would be taken against those private hospitals which deny Covid-19 treatment to patients.