Critics turned silent after people understood the intent of KMUT: Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said that the critics who accused the DMK regime of going against the party’s poll promise turned silent after the people understood the rationale and objective of the eligible criterion for the KMUT (Kalaignar Magalir Urimail Thogai) scheme.

Speaking at the launch of phase II of KMUT scheme at Kalaivanar Arangam in the city, Stalin said, “Some people accused me of going against the poll promise when I announced that all eligible women would be given honorarium. Right from the beginning, we advised all family card holders to apply for the scheme after releasing impartial and honest guidelines for the scheme.”

Of the 2.24 crore family card holders in the state, only 1.63 crore women had applied for it because they understood the real purpose of the scheme and the objective of the guidelines, the CM added. “This understanding of the people demonstrated the fairness of the scheme’s guidelines. Critics have gone silent now,” the CM said.

Recalling the ‘deposit’ of Rs 1,000 monthly honorarium in the accounts of 1,06, 58,375 women a day prior to the launch of the scheme on September 14, the CM said that the honorarium was sent via money order to 2,42,956 women who did not have bank accounts and efforts are being made to open bank accounts for them.

Arguing that the success of the scheme was evident from the lack of even minor complaints in depositing Rs 1,000 each to over one crore women’s accounts, Stalin proudly said, “KMUT is a pioneering scheme for the whole country.”

KMUT to be continuously monitored

Remarking that a scheme must be continuously monitored to be successful, the CM said that the applications of those eligible women not selected for the scheme and unregistered applications received in the special camps were being scrutinised. As many as 54,220 officials at the district and village level were engaged for the purpose alone, the CM noted, adding that based on the list provided by them, about 7.35 lakh women have been added to the scheme now.

No eligible woman would be left out of KMUT

Pointing out that about 1,13,84,300 women would benefit from the scheme, the CM said, “We are very particular that no eligible women must be left out of the scheme. Hence, we sent SMS apprising the reason for rejection to the applicants. We also provided them the opportunity to appeal if the reason was not agreeable. Applications of those women who filed an appeal are under consideration.”

Eligible appellants to get KMUT from December

Following the field verification by officers, Rs 1,000 monthly honorarium would be given to eligible women among the appellants from December, the CM assured, adding that the Dravidian model government would continue the exercise till all eligible women receive the monthly honorarium.