Chennai: Women emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of TVK govt’s maiden budget, with a series of welfare measures across 12 departments spanning education, marriage, maternal health, livelihoods and entrepreneurship.Social welfare and women’s empowerment department received Rs 9,818 crore. A new welfare initiative – ‘Annan’s Seer’ – was allocated Rs 812 crore, under which women will get an 8g gold coin and a silk sari on their wedding day. Finance minister N Marie Wilson said: “Marriage is one of the most joyous occasions in a woman’s life. Our chief minister considers every woman in the state as his family member.”Singappen special task force received a separate allocation of Rs 354 crore. Contributing to maternal health,‘Thai Care’ maternity centres will be built across the state, offering free meals, medical support and health monitoring for Rs 23 crore.To support livelihoods, the Tamil Nadu women entrepreneurs empowerment scheme was allocated Rs 225 crore under the micro, small and medium enterprises department. For self-help groups, ‘SingappenngalValimaippaduthum Thittam’ will extend an investment subsidy of Rs 5 lakh to every self-help groups (SHG), alongside a Rs 38,000 crore target under the annual credit plan for SHG loans.The ‘Vetri Magalir Goat Rearing Scheme’ will provide five goats or sheep at full subsidy to 30,000 women who are destitute widows, deserted women, transgender persons and persons with disabilities. A separate scheme will provide milch cows to 10,000 rural women annually.The budget announced ‘Mannin Magal Thittam’ for Adi Dravidar and tribal women agricultural labourers, funds to prevent dropouts among girl students, and support for Christian and Muslim women aid societies.
