According to an official release here, she has also ordered to hike the wages of the members of tailoring socieites by five per cent every year.
The release recalled that the Chief Minister increased the number of uniforms given to students under MGR Noon-Meal Scheme from two to four.
'To ensure that the students get the uniforms in time and also to make sure that the women members of the tailoring socieites earn more, the Chief Minister has ordered to distribute 54,000 tailoring machines and also to give training to them, at a total cost of Rs 54 crore,' said the release.
The release said that the productivity of tailoring societies and their members will increase thanks to this initiative by Jayalalithaa. It also said students could uniforms in time due to this order.
Students in government and aided schools will look smarter, thanks to a personal interest shown by Jayalalithaa in choosing free uniforms.
If sources are to be believed, the Chief Minister took keen interest in finalising the colours and designs of the uniforms. 'She wanted children look as smart as the ones in private schools,' said an official who is part of the elaborate exercise benefiting over 92 lakh boys and girls.
Earlier this year, she announced a slew of freebies for students to increase enrollment and check dropout rate, particularly in rural areas, and allocated more than Rs 490 crore.
The children will receive four sets of uniforms (earlier it was two) besides footwear, bags, geometry boxes and colour pencils.
Boys from class six and above would now get full-pants instead of half pants, while girls will be given 'salwar kameez'.
The government would incur an expenditure of Rs 259.95 crore on providing the new uniforms. She also ordered to provide footwear to 81 lakh students at a cost of about Rs 94 crore.
Besides, nearly 92 lakh students would also receive uniform school bags, geometry box and colour pencil boxes and the government would incur an expenditure of about Rs 136 crore, she said.
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