Read newspapers, Mayor tells students

CHENNAI: Stressing on the importance of cultivating the reading habit and awareness on current affairs, Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy asked students to read newspapers and watch news channels intensely, but keep away from television soaps. He was speaking at the the 37th college day celebrations of Meenakshi College for Women on Saturday. To test their knowledge on current affairs, he asked the students a few questions like who was presently heading the United Nations, and how many countries were there in the world.Students who answered correctly were instantly awarded `500 by the mayor. “Soon, your college students will also receive laptops under the state government’s scheme, and you should use the Internet judiciously,” he cautioned. He also asked students to stay away from cellphones and cinema, and added a dress code should be established for women, as it was necessary.Speaking at the event, Finance Minister O Panneerselvam recalled the several measures introduced by the state for women’s welfare that included financial and gold assistance for brides and homes built for women by the Social Welfare Department. In his presidential address, Higher Education Minister P Palaniappan noted that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, soon after assuming power, had announced the goal of improving Tamil Nadu’s Gross Enrolment Ratio from 18 to 25 percent by 2025.