CHENNAI: A study conducted by the King’s College London on the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai Thittam (KMUT) found that around 56% of women preferred access to paid work over a cash transfer scheme, while only 23% said they would choose just the cash transfer. The remaining 21% felt it would be best to receive both paid work and the cash benefit.
According to the report, the findings show that cash transfers are not discouraging women’s interest in paid employment. In fact, there were documented cases where beneficiaries took up more paid work compared to non-beneficiaries. About 21% of respondents opted for cash transfers as they were unable to work due to age, medical conditions, or childcare responsibilities.
Interestingly, 89% of beneficiaries perceived that the KMUT scheme had enabled them to take up paid work, and 86% reported increased access to such opportunities. The study also found 49% of beneficiaries spent the money on household goods, while others used it for medicines and food.
The report, titled ‘A Right to Care, A Right to Welfare’, was led by Prabha Kotiswaran from the Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London. The survey covered 2,221 participants from six districts - 1,283 KMUT beneficiaries from Dharmapuri, Nagapattinam, and Virudhunagar, and 938 non-beneficiaries with similar economic and social backgrounds from Vellore, Kancheepuram, and Coimbatore. The report was released at the Anna Centenary Library on Monday.
The study also urged the state government to ensure ethical lending practices among microfinance institutions, which often weaken women’s financial stability. It further recommended improvements in public health infrastructure and relaxations in KMUT eligible criteria.
Notably, 96% of the surveyed women said they want Tasmac shops to be closed. While urging the government to improve women’s financial literacy and access to financial infrastructure, the report also called for periodic evaluations of the scheme with the involvement of women’s groups.