CHENNAI: New ‘Thozhi’ working women hostels will be established in Kanchipuram, Erode, Dharmapuri, Sivaganga, Theni, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Ranipet and Karur districts at a cost of Rs 72 crore, said Chief Minister MK Stalin at the International Women’s Day celebrations here on Saturday.
These hostels – with a total capacity of 700 beds – will be equipped with 24/7 security, biometric entry, Wi-Fi and purified drinking water facilities, the CM said.
Stalin also handed over 250 autorickshaws, including 100 pink autos, to women self-help group (SHG) members and granted Rs 3.5 crore in educational assistance to five Dalit girl students pursuing higher studies abroad. Additionally, appointment orders were handed over to female students trained under the Naan Mudhalvan scheme.
Addressing the gathering, Stalin recalled how Dravidian ideologue Periyar dedicated his life to women’s liberation and what Periyar said that if the human race wants to put an end to slavery it can only be done if the idea of women as slaves is eradicated. “That is why women were given their rights back during the Dravidian movement,” he said.
The Dravidian movement’s core ideology of social justice is “equality must prevail regardless of caste or gender”, he said.
He pointed out that the Justice Party, the ideological predecessor of the Dravidian movement, was the first to introduce voting rights for women in Tamil Nadu. Subsequently, leaders like CN Annadurai legalised self-respect marriages, while former chief minister M Karunanidhi gave women equal rights to property.
Stalin also recalled the inclusion of women in police force, the formation of women SHGs, and the introduction of 33% reservation for women in local bodies.
During the event, Stalin distributed identity cards to 1,000 women from SHGs. Highlighting the benefits of the identity card, he said that the members can avail of free transport of up to 25 kg of goods on rural and urban buses, are eligibile to get benefits under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, get priority in obtaining cooperative bank loans, an additional 5% discount on Co-optex products, special concessions on Aavin products, a 10% reduction in service charges at e-Service centres.