The Hindu 18.02.2010
Free spectacles for Corporation school students
Staff Reporter
— Photo: V.Ganesan 
Students of Chennai Corporation Primary School, MGR Nagar, try out the new shoes distributed by the civic body on Wednesday.
CHENNAI: Spectacles will be given free of cost to 4,000 students of Chennai Corporation schools soon to correct refractive errors, Mayor M. Subramanian said here on Wednesday.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi would participate in the function to distribute spectacles under the Kalaingar Kannoli Scheme, he added.
Speaking at the launch of free shoe distribution scheme for 35,447 students of primary classes, Mr. Subramanian said that the civic body had implemented many schemes for the benefit of children studying in its schools.
The free shoe scheme would cost the Corporation nearly Rs.28 lakh.
He said that the free shoe scheme was launched after it was found that a large number of students came to school barefoot.
To ensure quality of shoes, samples of black leather shoes were sent to Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, he added. Free school bags would soon be distributed to the students. Stating that the civic body’s English medium classes were doing well, he urged parents to enrol their wards in Corporation schools. Mr. Subramanian said that on February 23 the civic body would conduct a motivational programme for 13,000 students of classes 10 and 12 at Valluvar Kottam.
Deputy Mayor R. Sathyabhama, Deputy Commissioner (Education) M.Balaji and leader of Opposition Saidai P.Ravi participated.
