Ever since he took charge, Chief Minister MK Stalin has faced turbulence one after another. When he took over the reins of the state, Covid-19 was at its peak, the state was staring at a Rs 62,000 crore revenue deficit left by the previous AIADMK government, a non-cooperative union government and even a belligerent governor who continues to stall even day-to-day administration. Despite the odds, the state outperformed others post-Covid mainly due to the steady and inclusive policy measures known as the Dravidian model for the last two years.
Tamil Nadu under Dravidian parties has been a pioneer in inclusive development. From Justice Party’s voting rights to women in 1921 (one of the first in the world), compulsory education for all including girl children, noon meal scheme to attract students to school, Periyar and Anna’s attempt to promote widows re-marriage when sati was practiced in some parts of the country, Dr Karunanidhi giving equal property rights to women in ancestral property through The Hindu Succession Tamil Nadu (Amendment) Act (1989), which set the example to Parliament’s The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act (2005), 16 years later, 33% reservation for women in local bodies, Jayalalithaa’s cradle baby, women self help schemes and DMK’s first IT policy in the state in 1996 – all these helped the state to stay on top of the graph.
MK Stalin, on his part, aggressively pursued policies for inclusive growth. Immediately on assuming charge as chief minister during Covid, he provided Covid assistance of Rs 4,000 per ration cardholder with 15kg of rice that helped the marginalised access basic necessities in addition to stimulating economic growth during Covid. Illam Thedi Kalvi (education at doorsteps), the flagship scheme of the government where volunteers are roped in to conduct extra classes after school hours near villages, largely reduced the learning gap inflicted by Covid on children, particularly from marginalized sections ensuring social justice. Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (medical care towards people) where a medical team visits households and provides free treatment with medicines reduced the need for the marginalized and senior citizens to visit hospitals during Covid, but also improved healthcare, particularly in rural areas.
Stalin set the bar for social movements by providing free bus ride for women which benefitted women’s mobility raising their standard of living, Rs 1,000 per month for girl students enrolling in government colleges, increasing the maternity leave from 9 months to 12 months and the recent announcement of Magalir Urimai Thogai, assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to women covering one crore women at an estimated cost of Rs 7,000 crore, which will perhaps be the largest Universal Basic Income in the world.
The above stated not only helped to develop the human development index, but also formed the foundation for industrial development in the state with industrial friendly measures in the last two years under his rule.
These measures ensured quality workforce for the industries with Tamil Nadu on the top with 40,000 factories followed by Gujarat with 28,000. The state has also ranked in the top in terms of law and order and the safest place for women to work. India Today, in its Nov 22 report, ranked Tamil Nadu as the top state for consistently performing in education, healthcare, industries, infrastructure, law & order and in another report ranked Chief Minister MK Stalin as the number one in the country. All this was made possible by the chief minister’s vision of inclusivity in conception and implementation. Though Governor RN Ravi may disagree, the two years under MKS’s Dravidian model rule has put the state on the path of development which other states and even the union may emulate for an inclusive, diverse and developed India.
(Puhazh Gandhi P, Advocate & Executive Coordinator, Dravidian Professionals Forum)