Ahead of the high-stakes Assembly election in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said the DMK government has deposited Rs 5,000 each into the accounts of beneficiaries of a women's entitlement scheme. If his party manages to retain power, Stalin said they will double the monthly grant to Rs 2,000.
The amount was directly deposited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Women's Entitlement scheme, Stalin said in a video message.
The amount released under the scheme includes an advance of Rs 3,000 for February, March and April, as well as the additional amount of Rs 2,000 as special summer assistance.
"You would have received Rs 5,000 this morning. I have decided to provide the sum in view of an attempt (by vested interests) to freeze the scheme, citing upcoming elections," news agency PTI quoted Stalin as saying.
To counter the move to prevent beneficiaries from receiving their monthly financial assistance, Stalin said he decided to give them the sum for three months (February to April) along with the additional Rs 2,000 to meet their expenses during the summer.
“Further, the monthly entitlement of Rs 1,000 will be increased to Rs 2,000 once the DMK returns to power this year,” he added.
The chief minister urged all the beneficiaries to judiciously utilise the amount towards the educational needs of their children.
Stalin, who became the Tamil Nadu chief minister in 2021, said that his government faced various challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the alleged financial crisis left by the previous AIADMK regime. He said the DMK government provided Rs 4,000 as relief amount to protect people's livelihood.
The Kalaignar Women's entitlement scheme was implemented by the state government in September 2023, despite criticism from the Opposition that it was not feasible. Initially, the scheme covered 1.13 crore women in the southern state and was later expanded to include other women heads of family and ration card holders. At present, the scheme covers 1.31 crore beneficiaries.
Stalin has described the scheme as their "entitlement sum given to recognise the contribution of women to society”.
"This amount has enabled women to meet many essential expenses such as daily household expenses, medical expenses incurred in the family, besides education expenses for children," PTI quoted the chief minister as saying.
Targeting the BJP and AIADMK, Stalin claimed that he has information about "a ‘group' in Delhi and another "their slave in Tamil Nadu" that are said to be plotting to stop the scheme for the next three months, citing the Assembly election in the state. He even cited reports indicating that a few are trying to move the court in this regard.
AIADMK, BJP And Others React
Edappadi K Palaniswami, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, wrote on X that the latest announcement by Stalin reflects his "fear of defeat at the hustings.”
Palaniswami said the state government did not implement the scheme for 28 months after coming to power, but is now providing a "summer special grant" along with the three-month instalments.
He added that women in the state will not trust the “patchwork of crediting election time money”.
Further, Palaniswami suggested that Stalin hiked the monthly sum after AIADMK announced its election promise to provide Rs 2,000 monthly aid to women heads of family and ration cardholders in the state.
Actor-politician Vijay questioned why it was being done now and wondered if summer had come only this year for Stalin to announce the special grant.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan strongly condemned Stalin's statement and said the Chief Minister has the "habit of blaming the Central Government for all his failures."
The Election Commission is yet to announce the schedule for the assembly election in Tamil Nadu.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.