The Tamil Nadu government, under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, on Thursday (May 14, 2026) announced that it needed time to “restructure” the ’Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai’ programme. The monthly grant for women beneficiaries due for the month of May would be credited into their bank accounts soon, an official release stated.

During the election campaign, Mr. Vijay had announced that after his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was elected to power, it would, through the ‘Madhippumigu Magalir Thittam’, provide a sum of ₹2,500 as monthly assistance to “all women up to 60 years of age, who are heads of families.”

However, he had clarified that families with employees of Union and State governments would not be eligible for the grant. “By doing this, more number of women will get to benefit,” Mr. Vijay had announced during a party meeting in Mamallapuram in March this year. At present, the grant is ₹1,000 a month to beneficiaries, under the ‘Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai’ programme launched by the erstwhile DMK government.

The programme was initiated to provide the monthly rights grant to women heads of families, intending to “recognise the hard work of women who work tirelessly throughout their lives for their families.”

Women beneficiaries who are above 21 years of age from families earning an annual income below ₹2.5 lakh are among those eligible to benefit from the programme. Only the woman head of the family per household (family card holders) is eligible to receive the grant.