By Nityanjali Bulsu
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin just made a massive move, sending a total of ₹5,000 to 1.31 crore women family heads. This isn’t just a regular monthly payment. With the 2026 Assembly elections coming up fast, the government is moving early to get cash directly into the hands of the people.
The breakdown of the money is simple. Each woman got her ₹1,000 for February, plus an advance of ₹2,000 to cover both March and April. On top of that, Stalin added a “special summer assistance” bonus of another ₹2,000. This brings the total to a solid ₹5,000 for every beneficiary. The Chief Minister said he is doing this now so nobody can try to stop the money later when the election rules kick in.
Stalin didn’t hold back in a video message released this Friday. He claimed there are “groups in Delhi” and their friends in Tamil Nadu trying to block these payments. He said some people might even try to move the court to freeze the funds for three months. To beat them to it, he decided to pay out the next three months all at once.
The stakes are expected to rise in the next election. Stalin has promised to double the monthly grant for women if his party wins again. Under the “Dravidian 2.0”, he has promised to give women INR 2000 instead of INR 1000 each month. This is a direct answer to the AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who made a similar promise just last month. Both sides are fighting for women’s vote in order to win the upcoming 234- member assembly.
This scheme has grown a lot since it started back in September 2023. It began with 1.13 crore women and now covers over 1.31 crore across the state. Stalin says this isn’t just a gift- it is a “rights grant” to recognize the hard work women do for their families every day. Even with the state’s budget being tight, he insists they will find a way to keep the payments going and even increase them.