TN Assembly debates AIADMKs gold scheme vs DMK govts plan for girl students
Chennai Apr 21 PTI The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday saw a debate between the main opposition AIADMK and treasury benches on the gold assistance scheme of the previous government and the DMK regimes new scheme for women beneficiariesParticipating in the discussion on the demand for grant to Social Welfare and Women Empowerment department AIADMKs Maragatham Kumaravel said though the Rs 1000 per month assistance scheme to girl students to pursue education is welcome scrapping the gold assistance scheme to women beneficiaries is not acceptableThe Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme popularly known as Thalikku Thangam Thittam Gold for Marriage Scheme was introduced during the AIADMK regimeThe main opposition MLA said women in the state expect the rollout of the Rs 1000 per month right assistance assurance of the DMKMinister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P Geetha Jeevan said since 2018-19 the scheme was put on the backburner by the previous AIADMK government The new DMK governments scheme envisaged women empowerment higher education for them and also prevent child marriagesOn May 7 last year the DMK government assumed office dislodging the archrival AIADMK which was in power from 2011 to 2021Leader of Opposition K Palaniswami said in view of fluctuation in gold prices no one came forward to participate in the bid processThe scheme could be implemented only by floating tenders and only when participants quote the right terms the bids could be finalisedConsidering such aspects and the coronavirus pandemic since 2020 there was delay in the scheme implementation However it is not correct to say that the scheme is badAsserting that Thalikku Thangam is an excellent assistance scheme for women beneficiaries the AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister urged the government to address lapses if anyChief Minister M K Stalin said the government does not say that the scheme was bad and it was about flaws as the benefits envisaged under it did not reach the beneficiaries properly and fully The DMK governments Rs 1000 assistance scheme would reach the beneficiariesPalaniswami said besides helping poor women beneficiaries overcome economic hurdles in the way of getting married it also aided their higher educationHence in case of deficiencies in the scheme or in its administration it should be addressed and the programme should be continuedStalin replied that the scheme was changed only in view of its flaws The benefits under the scheme does not reach the women beneficiaries even after 5-6 years after they bear children following marriage Hence the government changed it and implementing the scheme democraticallyPalaniswami said it should be considered that the beneficiaries are poorFinance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said encouraging education and reducing marriage expenditure for poor women beneficiaries covered the goals of the Thalikku Thangam schemeThe Minister said he had himself previously appreciated the scheme However when the benefits does not reach the beneficiares even after say 3 or 4 years following marriage the alleviating value of the scheme fadedIs it not hence better to incentivise getting educated itself Thiaga Rajan asked referring to the new scheme of the DMK governmentTo facilitate girls get educated and to empower them the scheme has been changed Thiaga Rajan addedPalaniswami said the DMK regimes scheme would benefit those who study now and wondered about poor women who have already completed their education He urged the government to reconsider its proposal and implement the Thalikku Thangam SchemeUnder the previous AIADMK regime the Thalikku Thangam scheme The Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme-MRAMMAS Rs 25000 cash assistance and a gold coin of 8 grams was envisaged to women beneficiaries who had completed Class 10 To those who had passed degreediploma it was Rs 50000 in addition to 8 grams goldIn the Budget 2022-23 the government announced transforming the MRAMMAS as the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance SchemeUnder the programme all girl students who had studied from Classes 6 to 12 in government schools would be paid Rs 1000- per month till graduation and other coursesThe sum shall be directly deposited in their bank accounts till the uninterrupted completion of their undergraduate degree diploma and ITI courses the government had said PTI VGN ROH ROH
Chennai Apr 21 PTI The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday saw a debate between the main opposition AIADMK and treasury benches on the gold assistance scheme of the previous government and the DMK regimes new scheme for women beneficiariesParticipating in the discussion on the demand for grant to Social Welfare and Women Empowerment department AIADMKs Maragatham Kumaravel said though the Rs 1000 per month assistance scheme to girl students to pursue education is welcome scrapping the gold assistance scheme to women beneficiaries is not acceptableThe Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme popularly known as Thalikku Thangam Thittam Gold for Marriage Scheme was introduced during the AIADMK regimeThe main opposition MLA said women in the state expect the rollout of the Rs 1000 per month right assistance assurance of the DMKMinister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P Geetha Jeevan said since 2018-19 the scheme was put on the backburner by the previous AIADMK government The new DMK governments scheme envisaged women empowerment higher education for them and also prevent child marriagesOn May 7 last year the DMK government assumed office dislodging the archrival AIADMK which was in power from 2011 to 2021Leader of Opposition K Palaniswami said in view of fluctuation in gold prices no one came forward to participate in the bid processThe scheme could be implemented only by floating tenders and only when participants quote the right terms the bids could be finalisedConsidering such aspects and the coronavirus pandemic since 2020 there was delay in the scheme implementation However it is not correct to say that the scheme is badAsserting that Thalikku Thangam is an excellent assistance scheme for women beneficiaries the AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister urged the government to address lapses if anyChief Minister M K Stalin said the government does not say that the scheme was bad and it was about flaws as the benefits envisaged under it did not reach the beneficiaries properly and fully The DMK governments Rs 1000 assistance scheme would reach the beneficiariesPalaniswami said besides helping poor women beneficiaries overcome economic hurdles in the way of getting married it also aided their higher educationHence in case of deficiencies in the scheme or in its administration it should be addressed and the programme should be continuedStalin replied that the scheme was changed only in view of its flaws The benefits under the scheme does not reach the women beneficiaries even after 5-6 years after they bear children following marriage Hence the government changed it and implementing the scheme democraticallyPalaniswami said it should be considered that the beneficiaries are poorFinance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said encouraging education and reducing marriage expenditure for poor women beneficiaries covered the goals of the Thalikku Thangam schemeThe Minister said he had himself previously appreciated the scheme However when the benefits does not reach the beneficiares even after say 3 or 4 years following marriage the alleviating value of the scheme fadedIs it not hence better to incentivise getting educated itself Thiaga Rajan asked referring to the new scheme of the DMK governmentTo facilitate girls get educated and to empower them the scheme has been changed Thiaga Rajan addedPalaniswami said the DMK regimes scheme would benefit those who study now and wondered about poor women who have already completed their education He urged the government to reconsider its proposal and implement the Thalikku Thangam SchemeUnder the previous AIADMK regime the Thalikku Thangam scheme The Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme-MRAMMAS Rs 25000 cash assistance and a gold coin of 8 grams was envisaged to women beneficiaries who had completed Class 10 To those who had passed degreediploma it was Rs 50000 in addition to 8 grams goldIn the Budget 2022-23 the government announced transforming the MRAMMAS as the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance SchemeUnder the programme all girl students who had studied from Classes 6 to 12 in government schools would be paid Rs 1000- per month till graduation and other coursesThe sum shall be directly deposited in their bank accounts till the uninterrupted completion of their undergraduate degree diploma and ITI courses the government had said PTI VGN ROH ROH
