In Tamil Nadu, the State Government has announced a 300-crore rupee special financial package to accelerate new job generation in villages. It will be rolled out in the nearly 4,000 Panchayats. The scheme involves giving credit for rural entrepreneurs, capital grant for various rural producers' organizations and rural industrial clusters. Over 5,000 returnees from other states will be given a long term loan of one lakh rupees each to start new micro ventures.<br />'' <br />''Meanwhile, the COVID-19 cases crossed the twenty thousand mark yesterday with 874 more people testing positive. They include 135 returnees from Maharashtra and six from other states. In Chennai, the tally surged past the 13-thousand mark as 618 of the new cases were reported from the city.<br />'' <br />''Nine people died of the disease yesterday leading to a total mortality of 154. From hospitals, 765 patients were discharged after cure, leaving the active caseload at 8,776.<br />'' <br />''Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy yesterday interacted with the District Collectors in respect of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.<br />'' <br />''AIR correspondent reports that the Chief Minster's interaction through video conferencing was held even as the fourth phase of the lockdown comes to an end on Sunday. He asked the District Collectors to help the guest labourers who earlier wanted to return to their home states, to stay back and resume their work, if they are willing, as most of the industrial units have started functioning again.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">As far as the labourers who return back to the state and the new comers are concerned, the Collectors have been instructed to test them for the COVID-19 infection and quarantine them for the required period first and then to allow them to go to their intended work places. He said, except Chennai, the pandemic in all other districts has been brought well under control. In Chennai, intensified efforts are being made to contain the infection.</span><br />