Tamil Nadu Assembly election: DMK’s welfare schemes are social investments, says Kanimozhi

DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi on Monday (March 30, 2026) said there was an attempt to politicise welfare schemes as “freebies”, though economists across the world, including former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, had explained how such financial assistance acted as a stimulus to the economy.

Explaining various aspects of the DMK manifesto, she said when people have money, it automatically increases their purchasing power and stimulates the economy. “The Magalir Urimai Thittam, under which ₹1,000 is given to women, increases their purchasing power. Zero cost bus travel has allowed women to travel in search of jobs. The money spent by the government on these schemes is a social investment. Only those who are against social justice will oppose these schemes,” she said.

Responding to the allegation that the DMK had copied the AIADMK manifesto, she said nobody would take the promises of the AIADMK seriously because many of them had not been fulfilled. “The AIADMK announced promises without realising that these schemes are already being implemented by the Dravidian Model government. Women are already receiving ₹1,000, and the Chief Minister has announced that it will be increased to ₹2,000. Now, the AIADMK has come out with the same promise,” she said.

According to her, the DMK’s manifesto had received all-round appreciation. “The manifesto committee travelled to many districts and elicited opinions and suggestions from people from all walks of life. We have prepared the manifesto based on 80,000 ideas from experts across various fields. The Chief Minister is particular that all the promises should be implementable,” she said.

Asked how the DMK government would identify beneficiaries for the Illatharasi scheme, under which women would be given a coupon worth ₹8,000 to purchase or replace household appliances, she said the government was already providing ₹1,000 per month to 1.31 crore women and it would not be difficult to identify deserving beneficiaries.

Ms. Kanimozhi said the objective behind the scheme was to free women from time-consuming household work and give them more time to pursue their interests.

“When officials told Kalaignar (Karunanidhi, former Chief Minister) that a single stove gas could be distributed to women since the poll promise had not specifically mentioned a single or double stove, he said it was immaterial, as his objective was to help women leave the kitchen as quickly as possible,” she said.