Two-wheeler scheme deadline extended

On Monday, which was originally the last day to submit applications, many working women thronged RTOs across the state to apply for licence and the zonal offices of district corporations to apply for the scheme, which was introduced on January 22. 

In a bid to meet the demand, RTOs across the State functioned on Saturday last week. But, many complained that they were unable to apply due to lack of time. The Tamilnadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers also raised a demand to extend the deadline to ensure more disabled women get the subsidy. Paying heed to public demand and based on suggestions from officials from the Corporation and RTO offices, the government extended the deadline. 

The scheme will be launched by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on February 24, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Under the scheme, the government would provide Rs 25,000 subsidy to women to purchase two-wheelers or mopeds. 

The scheme was first announced by Jayalalithaa, while releasing the AIADMK’s 2016 assembly election manifesto. Greater Chennai Corporation started issuing forms on January 22. The Corporation has received 22,960 forms totally from Chennai till the initial submission date of February 5. 

Across the state, 1,74,678 applications were received – Coimbatore (11,023), Madurai (7,395), Namakkal (10,074), Tiruvannamalai (6,653), Tirunelveli (9,173), Cuddalore (2,045) and Thoothukudi (7,238). ‘’One lakh working women will be covered under the scheme every year and it will be implemented at a cost of Rs 200 crore’’, the Chief Minister said, before the subsidy was hiked to Rs 25,000.