‘Headline' schemes, but T.N.'s women deserve better

The Hindu

25-05-2025

In Tamil Nadu, women have always led — in their homes, in our workforce, and, increasingly, in public life. Yet, despite their resilience, many continue to be underserved by systems that too often prioritise spectacle over substance.
Over the past few years, a number of women-centric schemes have been launched. On paper, the announcements have captured headlines. But in homes and communities across the State, the reality has not always kept pace with the promise made. Delays, exclusions and bureaucratic roadblocks have diluted the impact of what could have been transformative interventions.
Schemes and hurdles
Consider the much-publicised monthly income support scheme for women heads of households. Nearly 2.06 crore women applied for this. Yet, as of March 2024, only 1.06 crore applications were approved, leaving behind nearly one crore women, many of whom are from vulnerable and rural backgrounds. Their exclusion was not for lack of need, but often due to rigid documentation rules or administrative hurdles.
In districts such as Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram, women queued for hours only to be told later that they were ineligible due to discrepancies in ration cards or land records. More than 9.24 lakh women have formally appealed these rejections which is a number that speaks volumes about the frustration and unmet expectation among the public, as was reported even in this daily ('9.24 lakh women file appeals against their rejection from Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam', updated October 11, 2023). Even for those applications that were approved, there were significant delays in disbursement that were reported across several regions, undermining the assurance of timely and dignified support.
Public transport initiatives, too, have sought to ease financial burdens such as the scheme of free bus travel for women. While the savings are real on paper, many commuters in tier-2 and tier-3 towns experience overcrowded services, fewer bus services, and a lack of safety provisions. The effectiveness of these efforts has been limited by the absence of women conductors, marshals, and last-mile connectivity.
There is also the question of continuity versus innovation. Programmes such as the Amma Baby Care Kits — introduced to promote maternal and infant health — have continued, but largely without expansion or evolution. Similarly, subsidies and microcredit support for women-led self-help groups have seen notable budgetary reductions in recent years, shrinking the ecosystem that once enabled grass-root entrepreneurship.
Measures that made a mark
These issues highlight a broader concern: the gap between policy design and delivery. Launches are often celebrated, but follow-through is what truly changes lives.
In contrast, Tamil Nadu has also witnessed quieter, more enduring models of empowerment. The Cradle Baby Scheme, initiated in the early 1990s, was a deeply humane response to female infanticide. In districts such as Salem, Dharmapuri, and Madurai — once plagued by this practice — the incidence of female infanticide dropped by over 75% between 1992 and 2011 (as in data from the Tamil Nadu Department of Social Welfare).
Equally pioneering was the scheme of all-women police stations that were set up to offer safety and justice with sensitivity. By 2021, over 222 such stations were operational across the State — a testament to what institutional innovation can achieve when guided by empathy and purpose.
The introduction of 50% reservation for women in local bodies was another landmark reform. Thousands of women emerged not just as voters or beneficiaries but also as panchayat presidents, councillors, and community leaders, shaping decisions, budgets, and futures.
Among the welfare schemes that empowered women in a lower social strata was the revolutionary 'Thalikku Thangam' initiative which offered financial assistance and gold to women from low-income families at the time of marriage — ₹25,000 and eight grams of gold for those who had completed high school, and ₹50,000 for graduates. And the vision of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam extended beyond matrimony. The Amma Free Bicycle Scheme gave rural schoolgirls a path to independence, literally, helping reduce school dropout rates by enabling them safer and quicker access to education.
And there were every day interventions that preserved the dignity of working women — from Amma Canteens to the supply of essential household appliances. These were not mere handouts.
They were enablers of comfort and safety, and ensured independence for countless families. The truth is that Tamil Nadu's women do not need slogans. They need systems. They do not want doles. They want dignity. And they know the difference between symbolic politics and sincere governance.
Success lies in evidence on the ground
Success, after all, is not measured by how many schemes are announced but by how many lives are uplifted. Empowerment does not lie in headlines. It reveals itself in evidence of healthier babies, in safer streets, in confident women in leadership, and in girls growing up with ambition instead of fear.
As Tamil Nadu looks ahead, the conversation must shift. Beyond slogans and statistics, what women seek are systems that work, services that reach, and respect that endures. They deserve nothing less.
Perhaps the question is not whether welfare exists but whether it is designed to perform, or to transform.
Edappadi K. Palaniswami is the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu