Artisan’s Welfare:

khadi artisans are covered under Artisans Welfare Fund through Tamilnadu (and Pondichery Khadi and) Polyvastra Artisans welfare and Pension Trust. About 322 Khadi Artisans are covered under Khadi Karikar Janashree Bima Yojana Scheme. The nominees of two deceased artisans death benefit of Rs.30,000/- each during 2008-09. 49 students have been sanctioned and paid scholarships at Rs.1200/- each during 2008-09.

Both Khadi and Village Industry artisans are covered under Jan Arogya Medical Insurance Policy through United India Insurance Company Ltd., by which family members of artisans can get reimbursement up to Rs.5000 annually when they are hospitalized atleast two days for illness like chicken kuniya etc., We supply mattress and pillows to students residing at hostels.



Parnakuti where Gandhiji stayed For 2 Days.

One of the main focal points of the Tiruchengodu Gandhi Ashram was and continues to be is the empowerment of rural women and creation of self sufficiency for the rural poor, when it was started in19'th century. The area surrounding the ashram was drought prone and since the people were squieezed money lenders they migrated to Ceylon in shiploads for want of work. The Ashram trained 13,000 women in charkha spinning and provided cotton and raw materials at their doorstep every week by bullock carts and also procured the finished yarn by paying them wages according to the work done. In this manner the Ashram provided for the sustenance to people in and villages. To this day about 2000 women who are unable to work outside their home are utilizing this opportunity provided by the Ashram. For those spinners who are unable to perform their task due to age considerations, the Ashram has a Pension Scheme. Old age pension has been arranged to old and widowed artisans due to intensive efforts of the district administration.

The weavers are provided with handspun yarn at their doorsteps and the Ashram has been very instrumental in their upliftment by providing them with interest free loans, for higher education of their wards. The Ashram is running a Child Care Unit for the babies of the women working over there. A trained teacher is in charge of the child care unit and this function as a Pre-School Study discouraging child labour and enabling the children to school going. In this way it is ahead of many corporate bodies which are yet to realize that such facilities are essential to help their women employees to work with peace..

Old ladies collect Arappu leaves and get their earning from the Ashram. Scheduled tribes of Chitlingi hills of Dharmapuri District are giv