Women Welfare

Muthulakshmi Reddy starts Avvai Home

Muthulakshmi Reddy founded the Avvai Home in Madras to shelter and educate orphaned and destitute girls.

Madras State starts an old-age pension scheme

A monthly pension for destitute old people was introduced by the state, decades ahead of the national old-age pension of 1995.

Mother Teresa Women's University founded at Kodaikanal

The Tamil Nadu government established Mother Teresa Women's University at Kodaikanal, a state university dedicated to women's education.

Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme

Tamil Nadu began cash assistance for poor pregnant women, a pioneering state maternity benefit scheme named after Muthulakshmi Reddy.

Moovalur Ramamirtham marriage assistance scheme

The DMK government started cash assistance for the marriage of daughters of poor families, named after reformer Moovalur Ramamirtham.

Cradle Baby Scheme launched against female infanticide

The Jayalalithaa government introduced the Cradle Baby Scheme, allowing parents to leave unwanted infant girls with the state anonymously.

Chief Minister's Girl Child Protection Scheme

The state began depositing money in the names of girl children in poor families to counter gender discrimination and keep girls in school.

Mahalir Thittam extends women's self-help groups statewide

The state funded Mahalir Thittam to form women's self-help groups in all districts, after an IFAD-assisted pilot in Dharmapuri from 1989.

Free mixers, grinders, fans and livestock

The new AIADMK government began giving households free mixers, grinders and fans, and goats and cows to poor families.

Marriage assistance with gold for the thirumangalyam

Jayalalithaa revised the marriage assistance schemes to add 4 grams of gold for the thirumangalyam and raised aid for graduates to Rs. 50,000.

Amma Baby Care Kit for newborns

Mothers delivering in government hospitals began receiving a free kit of 16 baby care items worth about Rs. 1,000.

Amma Two-Wheeler scheme for working women

Prime Minister Modi launched a 50 percent subsidy, up to Rs. 25,000, for working women buying scooters, on Jayalalithaa's 70th birth anniversary.

Free bus travel for women in town buses

Among his first orders as Chief Minister, M. K. Stalin made travel free for women in ordinary state-run town buses.

Pudhumai Penn scheme for college girls

The state began paying Rs. 1,000 a month to girls from government schools who go on to higher education.

Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai launched

The state began paying Rs. 1,000 a month to more than a crore women heads of families.

Vettri Payanam expands free bus travel for women

Free bus travel for women was widened by the Vijay government to express and deluxe services, without any income ceiling or cap on journeys.