Udhayanidhi Stalin to launch special temple service scheme for elderly couples

Chennai, Nov 9 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin will inaugurate a distinctive welfare initiative -- the “Special Temple Service Scheme” -- for senior couples aged 70 and above at the historic Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathyswamy Temple in Triplicane on Monday (November 10).

The scheme, aimed at honouring elderly devotees, is being rolled out under the guidance of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin as announced in the State Budget for 2025–26, said Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister P.K. Sekarbabu on Sunday.

According to the Minister, the initiative seeks to recognise and celebrate the spiritual devotion of 2,000 senior couples across 20 HR&CE joint commissioner divisions. Each division will host a special temple service for 100 couples, providing them with blessings, honour, and traditional gifts as a mark of reverence.

At the inaugural ceremony in Triplicane, 200 senior couples from the Chennai region will be felicitated in the presence of the Deputy Chief Minister. Each couple will receive a traditional gift pack worth Rs 2,500 containing a dhoti, saree, turmeric, kumkum, bangles, a mirror, fruits, betel leaves, and a framed photograph of the temple deity.

“The scheme embodies our cultural ethos of gratitude and respect toward the elderly who have dedicated their lives to faith and family,” Sekarbabu said.

He added that the HR&CE Department plans to institutionalise similar welfare-oriented temple programmes to strengthen the spiritual and social fabric of temple communities across the state.

Following the main event, Udhayanidhi Stalin will inaugurate the newly constructed residential quarters for temple officials and staff in Triplicane. The project, built at a total cost of Rs 3.40 crore, includes Rs 2.05 crore for quarters for deputy commissioners and supervisory officers and Rs 1.35 crore for staff quarters. Officials said the new housing facilities would improve working conditions for temple employees and strengthen administrative efficiency within the HR&CE Department.

The inaugural event in Triplicane is expected to draw wide participation from devotees, temple functionaries, and local residents, marking another step in the state government’s ongoing efforts to combine welfare measures with Tamil Nadu’s rich temple heritage.

--IANS

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