Chennai, Feb 10 (PTI) About 500 elderly couples, who have completed 70 years of age and are devotees of various temples under the HR & CE Department, were honoured by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday.
The CM presented a package containing a dhoti, shirt, saree, blouse, fruits, kumkum and turmeric to the couples at a function organised by the state government here.
The initiative to felicitate elderly couples aged 70 and above, who are devotees of temples under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, was announced in the 2025-26 Budget.
The government had set a target of honouring 2,000 couples across the state.
The special scheme was launched on November 10, 2025, by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
In the second phase, the department has proposed to extend the initiative to 20,000 elderly couples this year.
Accordingly, including the 500 couples from the Chennai region, a total of 3,000 elderly couples across Tamil Nadu were honoured.
“The HR&CE Department is implementing several proactive schemes for the development of temples and to improve and provide basic facilities for devotees. Educational institutions, training schools, senior citizen shelters and charity homes are being run by temples,” a press release said.
“The department has also conducted free marriages for 2,800 economically disadvantaged couples and 165 differently-abled couples, providing each with a four-gram gold thali (mangalsutra),” it added. PTI JSP SSK
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