Jayalalithaa defends various government soaps

CHENNAI: Defending her government's sops like distribution of milch animals and electrical appliances to women free of cost, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today described women as "very vulnerable" holding that they, needed a support system.Women and children were "very vulnerable," she said and held the government cannot be lax in ensuring their support system."The distribution of milch animals is to strengthen the backyard economy of the women. The distribution of mixies and grinders is again only to spare them, (of) daily back-breaking drudgery," she said at the two-day conference of District Collectors which concluded here."Women should be a special target group. Women's health, hygiene, education, and income generating programmes warrant the Collectors' personal attention..." she said, adding, children and youth issues were her "pet subject."Government's prime focus was on agriculture as a "buoyant agricultural sector checks migration, restores peace and happiness, ensures food security and creates vibrant villages."On bureaucracy, Jayalalithaa said she had been watching it since 1991 when she first became Chief Minister and that she had seen stalwarts "who turned around ailing companies, who worked magic in the districts. "She said civil servants were the "steel framework of governance --the repository of the longevity of tradition.This framework has ensured smooth transitions of governments -- a continuity, in conformity with the Constitution.""Somewhere along the journey, a disconnect has crept in. A complacency has taken over, for which there may be, many active and passive reasons," she said.She also made a slew of announcements on the occasion, most in response to pleas made by Collectors. These included various infrastructure-related ones such as laying of roads, besides government revising pension age limit for differently- abled persons from 45 years to 18 years.