Tamil Nadu Issues Operational Guidelines For Rs 1000 Monthly Assistance To Women Family Heads

The 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai' scheme is set to be rolled out on September 15.

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin on Friday announced that the monthly cash assistance scheme for women family heads will be rolled out on September 15. The Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam (Women Entitlement Scheme) was also named after former Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi as 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai'. According to The Hindu, the operational guidelines said that women with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh and families not holding land exceeding 5 acres (wetland) and 10 acres (dryland) would be eligible for the scheme.

The guidelines also said that families with annual household electricity consumption below 3,600 units could also avail of the benefits.

After the first meeting with senior officials and district collectors regarding the implementation of the scheme, Stalin said, "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." 

The CM also warned Collectors that arrangements should be made at special camps to avoid stampedes. He also said that the officials should not avoid anyone from the scheme even when they do not have ration or Aadhaar cards. 

The financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month for the women family heads' scheme was an election promise of the DMK. 

The state had allocated Rs 7,000 crore for the scheme in Budget 2023-34. The launch also coincides with the birth centenary of former CM CN Annadurai. In order to monitor the implementation, a state-level committee would be formed under Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena.

On naming the scheme after Karunanidhi, Stalin said that the former CM worked for the emancipation of women. He recalled that Karunanidhi ensured recruitment of women in TN police force, ensured 33% reservation for women in local bodies and appointed women teachers for primary schools.