Tiruchirappalli: Some Congressmen on Tuesday observed the 69th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi in their own way-- announcing cash gifts to babies born on this day.
Joseph Louis, TNCC member and son of former MP from Tiruchirappalli district AGL Adaikalaraj, said he will deposit Rs 2,500 in a bank in the names of baby girls born in the district and upon them reaching the age of 18, they would get a maturity value of Rs 28,000.
The girl children born in government hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Health Centres and other state-owned medical centres in the district would be eligible for the benefit, he said, adding he was working with a private bank for implementing the programme.
The fixed deposit certificates would be handed over to the parents of the children at a function in Tiruchirappalli on September 16, the birthday of Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Louis said.
Louis said he was in the process of getting the list of newborns in the district from Health Department officials.
Unlike Louis`s offer, a Congress leader`s cash gift in Gujarat is for both baby girls and boys.
The Congress unit in Vadodara district said babies born today in this district would be presented Rs 1,001 cash gift.
"I have extended an invitation to the mothers who give birth to their babies in maternity hospital on August 20th to register their names at my office (for the cash offer)," Vadodara district Congress committee president Vinubhai J Patel said.
PTI
