Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin announced in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly that measures will be taken to ensure applicants of the Women’s Rights Scheme receive their benefits within three months.The assembly session began with a condolence motion for former MLA Jagadeesan’s demise, followed by two minutes of silent tribute by the members.
During the question hour, ministers responded to queries raised by MLAs. Addressing the house, Udhayanidhi Stalin stated:
“In Dindigul district, out of the 5.27 lakh women who applied for the Women’s Rights Scheme, approximately 76% (4,00,897 women) are currently receiving ₹1,000 per month. Specifically, in MLA Gandhirajan’s Vedasanthur constituency alone, 62,000 women are receiving the benefits.”
Responding to MLA Gandhirajan’s question on pending applications, Udhayanidhi added:
“Chief Minister Stalin announced the Women’s Rights Scheme to recognize the contributions of women across Tamil Nadu. Special camps were organized to collect applications, resulting in 1.63 crore applications statewide. After thorough review, 70% of these, amounting to 1.06 crore applications, were approved in the first phase.
The scheme was officially launched by the Chief Minister in Kanchipuram in 2023. Women whose applications were initially rejected were given an opportunity to appeal, leading to an additional 9 lakh applications being approved. As of December 15, 2023, ₹1,000 monthly benefits have been distributed to 1.14 crore women.
Efforts are ongoing to ensure that all eligible applicants receive their benefits without any omission. Necessary steps are being taken to extend the scheme to more beneficiaries in line with its regulations.”
The Women’s Rights Scheme aims to empower women by providing financial assistance, recognizing their invaluable contributions to society.