Bonanza for Women in Tamil Nadu Budget
For the year 2025-26, the government proposes to allocate a subsidy of Rs.3,600 crore for fare-free bus services for women.
Tamil Nadu government has allocated a sum of Rs 3,500 crore for 1 lakh new houses under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam housing scheme, Rs 2,200 crore for the CM's Rural Roads Development Scheme, Rs 88 crore for 'sponge parks' in Chennai, which will help groundwater-recharge and fight against flooding.
Presenting the Budget for 025-26, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said for the year 2025-26, the government has allocated a subsidy of Rs.3,600 crore for fare-free bus services for women. The number of women using fare-free bus services has risen substantially.
On an average, 50 lakh women travel daily in the buses run by State Transport Undertakings, leading to a total of 642 crore trips so far. Notably, a study by the State Planning Commission revealed that women save an average of Rs 888 per month due to this initiative.
He announced that the women who are eligible but have not yet started receiving Rs 1,000 a month under the "Kalaignar Magalir Urimai" scheme will soon get opportunity to apply for. He pointed out that about 1.15 crore women are getting Rs 1,000 every month under the scheme, and Rs 13,807 crore has been allocated for the purpose. Besides, 10 more 'Thozhi' working women’s hostels at a cost of Rs 77 crore will also be built this year. As of now 13 such hostels are functioning in the State.
He also said that work has been expedited to set up a new airport at Parandur near Chennai.
Further, the minister announced that under the 'Samagra Shiksha' scheme, the state government has been successfully implementing various student welfare schemes for the past seven years through schemes such as 'Ennum Ezhuthum'. "However, the union government has withheld the approved amount of Rs 2,152 crore to Tamil Nadu, citing the State's non-acceptance of the Union government’s New Education Policy, which includes the three-language policy.
Despite this, keeping in mind the welfare of students, the state government has allocated funds, including salaries of teachers, from its own resources to ensure that the education of government school students remains unaffected, even in the slightest way," he said (with input from PTI).
Earlier at the beginning of the session today, some noisy scenes were witnessed in the Assembly as the main opposition AIADMK walked out after attempting to raise alleged graft in state-run liquor corporation Tasmac, and BJP too boycotted.
