TN women’s basic income scheme | Palaniswami says scheme was launched with an eye to Lok Sabha elections

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

The AIADMK’s general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Saturday, said the launch of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam was with an eye to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and “not out of concern” for women.

In a statement, Mr. Palaniswami said it was the “vain hope” of Chief Minister MK Stalin to secure votes of women, after having delayed the implementation of the scheme for 28 months (the scheme was a DMK poll promise), and had been launched now, as the general elections were coming up.

After the DMK had come to power, the electricity tariff, property tax, water charges and prices of dairy products had been hiked, apart from inflation, he noted. Over the past two months, the price of rice went up by ₹20 per kg, and the prices of vegetables too, had risen, he said. Consequently, the monthly expenses for a family, on an average, were ₹10,000. Under such circumstances, the provision of a mere ₹1,000 each to women was “an act of deception,” Mr. Palaniswami observed.

Meanwhile, AMMK general secretary, TTV Dhinakaran, on his social media handle (X), expressed concern over the prevalence of dengue and urged the State government to eradicate the menace of mosquitoes and set up separate hospital wards for dengue-hit patients.