In poll-bound Tamil Nadu, CM Stalin credits Rs5,000 to 1.31 crore women

CHennai : Tamil Nadu chief government minister MK joseph stalin on fri credited ₹5,000 into camber accounts of 13.1 billion women beneficiaries of the DMK government’s flagship monthly assistance scheme, triggering sharp reactions from the Opposition who flayed his move as “fear of defeat at the hustings” in the poll-bound state. The CM also announced to double the monthly grant to ₹2,000, if his DMK party was voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections.The ₹5,000 deposited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries of Kalaignar Women’s Entitlement scheme covered monthly ₹1,000 entitlement for February, March, and April 2026, and a one-time additional grant designated as “summer assistance” to help with rising household and utility costs. The scheme was announced by Stalin ahead of the 2021 assembly elections and it was implemented in 2023.“You would have received ₹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,” he said in a video message posted on X. He added: “Further, the monthly entitlement of ₹1,000 will be increased to ₹2,000 once the DMK returns to power this year.”“I appeal to the sisters to judiciously utilise the amount for the expenses towards the education needs of your children, buying medicine or other essentials that are required,” Stalin, who is the president of the DMK, said, and exuded confidence that his party would return to power.Accusing the Opposition AIADMK-BJP combine of conspiring to stop disbursal of the cash in the coming months, citing the Model Code of Conduct that is yet to come into force for the elections, the CM said: “They (BJP) were trying to stop the scheme for three months citing elections as a reason. Our Dravidian Model government thwarted their strategy... I can imagine the problems you will face if the monthly assistance is not credited for three months. Where will you get the money to spend on medicines and on children during the exam season? That is why I have ordered that ₹5,000 be credited into your bank accounts.”The aim to reach out to women was clear amid the opposition and actor-politician Vijay also attempting to woo the women electorate. “The announcement to increase it to ₹2000 was meant to be included in the election manifesto but we decided to announce it earlier,” said a senior DMK leader. With the state’s overall debt having crossed ₹9 lakh crore, this would be a steep expense for the exchequer.Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay said Stalin made the announcement worried about the overwhelming support that his party is gaining from women. “Is summer only coming this year or what?...Through this announcement, Tamil Nadu’s current Chief Minister has confirmed that it’s TVK—that DMK considers its rival and the only people’s power that will defeat it,” Vijay said. “Therefore, our esteemed mothers and sisters please happily accept this allowance,” he said, while urging to vote for TVK.Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami, however, said: “The announcement reflected the Chief Minister’s fear of defeat at the hustings.” “The Stalin-led government, which did not implement this scheme for 28 months after coming to power, is now giving a ‘summer special grant’ along with the three-months instalment sum,” Palaniswami said in a post on ‘X’.