In a gesture aimed at improving the lot of differently abled persons in the State, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday unveiled a number of schemes including the launch of early intervention centre for visually challenged in 20 districts, petrol scooter for physically challenged and interest-free loans for self-employment.

A government press release said the intervention centres would come up in districts including Chennai, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Theni, Tiruchi, Kanyakumari, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Kancheepuram, Karur and Nagapattinam.

A total of 34.30 lakh would be allotted for running them, apart from Rs. 22.9 lakh for the existing five centres in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Madurai, Krishnagiri and Tirunelveli. Daily travel allowance for escorts of visually challenged children to the centre had been increased from Rs. 20 to Rs. 40 a day.

The Chief Minister also ordered distribution of petrol-run scooters to 400 persons at a cost of Rs. two crore. Students in districts would be given priority.

High-power hearing aids, costing Rs. 10,000, to 1,000, would be distributed to students from Standard VI to college.

The Chief Minister approved extension of industrial training institutes to 20 districts. The institutes were already in 12 districts. The government sanctioned Rs 74.88 lakh in this regard.

Ms Jayalalithaa announced that the government would bear the interest rate of loans released to the differently abled through central cooperative banks. In the current year, Rs. 10 crore was released.

The government would also repair rehabilitation home for leprosy patients in Paranur, Ya. Pudupatti and Pudukottai.