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Stalin credits ₹5,000 in advance to women beneficiaries of scheme ahead of polls

Stalin also announced that the monthly assistance will be enhanced to 2,000 per month from 1,000 if his government is re-elected in the April-May assembly elections

Published on: Feb 13, 2026 12:08 PM IST
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Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Friday morning credited 5,000 into bank accounts of 1.31 crore women who are beneficiaries of the 1,000 monthly assistance flagship Kalaignar Women’s Rights Scheme rolled out under the present Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime.

In total, CM Stalin deposited  ₹5,000 into the bank accounts of 1.31 crore women across the state. (PTI photo)
In total, CM Stalin deposited ₹5,000 into the bank accounts of 1.31 crore women across the state. (PTI photo)

He said that the move was to counter “Delhi based forces” and “their subservient gang in Tamil Nadu” referring to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Stalin also announced that the monthly assistance will be enhanced to 2,000 per month from 1,000 if his government is re-elected in the April-May assembly elections.

Stalin explained that the 5,000 was credited in advance for the months of February, March and April and an additional 2,000 to handle expenses during the summer, in a video he posted on X.

He believed that the opposition AIADMK- BJP combine was 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.

Also Read: Coalition intact, but no power-sharing possible: Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin

“They (BJP) were trying to stop the scheme for three months citing elections as a reason. Our Dravidian Model government thwarted their strategy,” Stalin said in his 4.5-minute speech.

“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 scheme- Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai- was announced by Stalin ahead of the 2021 assembly elections and it was implemented in 2023.

The aim to reach out to women was clear amid the opposition and actor-politician also attempting to woo the women electorate.

“The announcement to increase it to 2,000 was meant to be included in the election manifesto but we decided to announce it earlier,” said a senior DMK leader.

  • Divya Chandrababu
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Divya Chandrababu

    Divya Chandrababu is an award-winning political and human rights journalist based in Chennai, India. Divya is presently Assistant Editor of the Hindustan Times where she covers Tamil Nadu & Puducherry. She started her career as a broadcast journalist at NDTV-Hindu where she anchored and wrote prime time news bulletins. Later, she covered politics, development, mental health, child and disability rights for The Times of India. Divya has been a journalism fellow for several programs including the Asia Journalism Fellowship at Singapore and the KAS Media Asia- The Caravan for narrative journalism. Divya has a master's in politics and international studies from the University of Warwick, UK. As an independent journalist Divya has written for Indian and foreign publications on domestic and international affairs.Read More

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