3.34L applications for free gold for thali pending since 2019, says Geetha Jeevan

State Social Welfare Department Minister P Geetha Jeevan on Wednesday informed the Assembly that over three lakh applications for the free gold for thali (Thalikku Thangam) were pending since 2019.

Replying to the debate on demand for grants for social welfare and women development department in the Legislative Assembly, Geetha Jeevan said Orders were issued on May 23, 2016, for doubling the volume of free gold distributed for thaali (marriage assistance scheme) to eight grams, but necessary funds were not allotted for the last five years. To date, it has not been distributed to beneficiaries for 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years. As of date, 3.34 lakh applications are pending, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan told the Assembly.

However, the DMK led by Chief Minister MK Stalin has allotted Rs 762 crore for the five marriage assistance schemes in the revised budget of 2021-22.

Stating that as per the 2011 Census about 75 lakh senior citizens live in TN and they accounted for 11.2 percent of the state’s population in 2017-18. The Minister forecast the population to rise by 1.5 crores in 2030 and said that a State Senior Citizen’s Policy would be devised. She announced a separate policy for women, separate welfare board for destitute and widowed women.