Chennai, February 19: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday announced three welfare schemes for Muslims. While speaking in the state assembly during the budget session, Palaniswami announced that a 50 percent subsidy for 'ulemas' to buy two-wheelers. The state government also hiked their pension from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000. Muslim Outfits Plan to Lay Siege on Tamil Nadu Assembly Today Despite Madras High Court Order Restraining Them.

Imams who work at Tamil Nadu Waqf Board institutions are paid a pension once they retire after completing 20 years of service. The pension scheme was implemented in Tamil Nadu in 1981. There are over 2,814 institutions registered with the state Waqf Board, reported The Times of India.

In the assembly, The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also announced to allot Rs 15 crore fund for Haj house. The state government would construct a Haj Illam (Haj house) on land identified by the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board at the cost of Rs 15 crore. It will facilitate the pilgrims to get accommodation and necessary support for documentation. Anti-CAA Protesters: Thousands of Muslims Take to Streets in Tamil Nadu.

The announcement came at a time when a large number of anti-CAA protesters, the majority of them Muslims, were staging a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Chennai. Demonstrators were carrying against the CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR), besides the Indian flag. The Madras High Court had on Tuesday restrained the Muslim outfits from going ahead to lay siege to the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2020 04:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).