Women beneficiaries under Tamil Nadu’s ‘Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai’ scheme on Friday received the pending May installment of ₹1,000, putting to rest concerns over a possible delay after the office of chief minister C Joseph Vijay said the government needed time to “restructure” the scheme.
The remarks had triggered questions over the future of the welfare programme, especially as the new government has promised to increase the monthly assistance amount to ₹2,500.
Earlier in the day, Vijay had said the ₹1,000 installment would be credited to beneficiaries “at the earliest.” The amount was deposited on the scheduled date of the month — the 15th.
The Chief Minister’s Office said on Thursday that women are currently continuing to receive the existing monthly assistance of ₹1,000 under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme.
A statement from the CM office said that the newly elected government requires time to restructure the scheme before implementing the promised enhancement in assistance.
According to the CMO, Vijay will make a detailed announcement later in May 2026 regarding the restructuring process, including possible revisions linked to beneficiaries’ bank accounts and the proposed increase in the monthly payout.
The announcement triggered a sharp response from DMK president MK Stalin, who questioned why extra time was needed for a scheme that was already operational under the previous regime.
In a social media post, Stalin asked the government what kind of “restructuring” it intended to carry out and why the amount had not been deposited on the usual date of the 15th of the month.
He also reminded Vijay that the TVK government had promised to continue welfare measures introduced earlier.
“You announced giving ₹2,500 (monthly to women, a TVK poll assurance). Is delaying without giving ₹1,000 the change (TVK promised),” Stalin said.