Landless

Indian Slavery Act abolishes legal slavery

Under Act V of 1843, slavery lost legal recognition in Company territories, agrestic slavery in the Tamil districts included.

Kilvenmani massacre

Around 44 Dalit agricultural labourers' family members, mostly women and children, were burnt to death at Kilvenmani in Thanjavur district.

Agricultural Labourer Fair Wages Act

Under a 1969 law, Cauvery delta farm labourers had to be paid fair wages, and landowners who exploited them faced penalties.

Land ceiling reduced to 15 standard acres

A 1970 Tamil Nadu law halved the family land ceiling, cutting it from 30 to 15 standard acres.

Free land distribution for the landless poor

At Tiruvallur, Karunanidhi began handing out free land to landless poor families, delivering on a DMK election pledge.

Kalaignar Veettu Vasathi Thittam to replace huts

The DMK government launched a scheme to convert thatched rural huts into permanent concrete houses over six years.

Chief Minister's Uzhavar Pathukappu Thittam

A farmers' security scheme gave registered landless labourers, small farmers and tenants cash help for education, marriage, death and old age.

Kalaignar Kanavu Illam housing scheme

A rural housing scheme announced in the 2024-25 budget aimed to build eight lakh concrete houses and make Tamil Nadu hut-free by 2030.