The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Department has spent Vallam Sri Yegowriamman temple fund to honour six septuagenarians under a scheme announced by the department in its Policy Note presented in the Legislative Assembly.
According to official sources, the money drawn from the temple fund was used to purchase dhoti, sari, blouse piece, fruits, turmeric, ‘kumkum’, glass bangles, and other ‘lucky charms’ for distribution to the elderly persons.
Six pairs of senior citizens were selected by the department to be ‘honoured’ under this scheme at Sri Yegowriamman temple at Vallam on the outskirts of Thanjavur. Clothes and other gifts, worth totalling ₹15,000, were distributed to them at the temple on January 2 by the department officials and DMK party representatives, the sources said.
