Chennai, Feb 24 (Reporter) In yet another pioneering initiative to provide medicines at affordable and subsidised rates and reducing the burden of the people, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday launched 1,000 'Mudhalvar Marundhagams' (CM Pharmacies) across the State. In the CM Pharmacies generic medicines would be available at a discount price of up to 75 per cent. While 500 of the 1,000 CM Pharmacies would be run by the Cooperative Departmet, the remaining 500 would be managed by entrepreneurs. The setting of CM Pharmacies would offer employment opportunities to 1,500 B.Pharm and D.Pharm graduates, besides providing additional financial assistance for entrepreneurs. While Mr Stalin launched them at an event held at the Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Chennai, Ministers participated via video-conferencing from all the districts of the State. Later, Mr Stalin visited Pondy Bazaar at the T.Nagar area, inaugurated a store and inspected the facilities and medicines available at the outlet. The launching of this unique initiative comes in line with the announcement made by Mr Stalin during his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Fort St.George last year. In his address, Mr Stalin said In his Independence Day speech last year, the Chief Minister announced setting up of 'Mudhalvarin Marundhagam' to provide generic medicines at subsidised rates. He said though the poor and the downtrodden were being treated at government hospitals, medicines proved to be too expensive for middle-class patients receiving treatment at private hospitals. “They have to buy medicines for diabetes and blood pressure, and other ailments by paying a high price. So, the government has decided to set up ‘Mudhalvar Marundhagams’ in which rovide generic and other medicines would be provided to the people at subsidised rates,” Mr. Stalin said. Speaking after launching the CM Pharmacies today, Mr Stalin said medicines would be available with discounts up to 75% at the CM Pharmacies, thereby reducing the burden of the people. He also said more such Pharmacies would be opened in the State to provide medicines for the people at affordable and subsidised rates, besides offering jobs for pharmacists. The Chief Minister said despite facing a serious “financial crunch,” (with the Centre refusing to release due share of funds to the State) the DMK government was implementing various welfare measures. The State was launching various schemes with its own resources for the welfare of the people of the State Nadu, “without getting bothered by restrictions” imposed by the Union government...////...