Women in an impoverished state in India have been offered free cosmetic breast surgery because 'beauty treatments should be available to the poor'.

The surgery will be offered free to all women in India's Tamil Nadu state with priority given to the poorest.

"Why should beauty treatment not be available to the poor?" C Vijaya Baskar, the state health minister said, the Guardian reported.

"If we don't offer [the procedure for free], they may opt for dangerous methods or take huge loans for it."

Previously officials in the state have set up free food canteens and doled out wedding rings and venues to the regions poorer people.

The surgeries will take place at a Government run hospitals on Mondays while cleft lip surgeries and other surgeries will also be free under the scheme and will be carried out on different days of the week.

Online Editors