Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday gave away government welfare aid to the tune of Rs 239.41 crore to various beneficiaries here and launched and laid the foundation stone for other initiatives.

The deputy CM, who holds the Youth Welfare and Sports Development portfolios among others, laid the foundation stone for a hockey ground with Rs 9.67 crore artificial turf, an official release here said.

The hockey arena will come up on 6,500 sq ft in the RS Puram Corporation Higher Secondary School, it added.

Further, Udhayanidhi laid the foundation stone for 132 plan schemes taken up in various departments, including Public Works and Rural Development, at an estimated Rs 82.14 crore.

He inaugurated Rs 29.99 crore worth projects, the release added.

The deputy CM later gave away government welfare aid to about 25,024 beneficiaries covering different departments, at an estimated Rs 239.41 crore, it said.