Monthly cash dole scheme for Tamil Nadu women family heads to be named after Karunanidhi

The monthly cash dole scheme for women heads of households, Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam, will be named after former Chief Minister 'Kalaignar' M Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Friday and directed district collectors to identify the beneficiaries and ensure a smooth rollout of the scheme on September 15.

The financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to women heads of eligible households was a poll promise of the DMK.

"This is a massive scheme to be implemented in Tamil Nadu. It is expected that 1.5 crore applications are likely to be received for this scheme targeting one crore beneficiaries. So, the district collectors should bestow adequate attention in identifying the beneficiaries," Stalin said at the first meeting with senior officials and district collectors to work out modalities to implement the programme.

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The collectors should make sufficient arrangements to avoid stampedes at the special camps meant to identify the beneficiaries, he said and told the officials not to eliminate anyone from the scheme for not possessing ration card or Aadhaar.

"This being the birth centenary year of our Kalaignar, it will be appropriate to name the financial assistance scheme as Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam," Stalin said virtually addressing the review meeting.

It would be apt to name the scheme after Karunanidhi, also because the latter worked for women's emancipation. Apart from ensuring the recruitment of women in the Tamil Nadu police force, Karunanidhi provided 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, and appointed women teachers for primary schools besides launching the marriage assistance scheme for young women.

"Following in his footsteps, I introduced free bus travel pass for women and it was the first file that I signed after becoming the chief minister (in May 2021)," Stalin said.

The state government had earmarked Rs 7,000 crore in the Budget for 2023-24 for implementing the scheme to provide financial aid to women and is all set to launch it on September 15, coinciding with the birth centenary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai, he said.

A state-level monitoring committee would be formed under Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena.

Exuding hope that this would immensely benefit the women, he said the public could contact him or his office or even Youth Welfare, Sports Development and Special Programme Implementation Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for any clarifications.