DMK govt on poll mode, fast-tracks flagship schemes’ implementation

CHENNAI: From restarting free laptop distribution for students and launching the expanded Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai scheme to even filling grassroots-level vacancies, the State government has put administrative affairs, especially those related to its flagship welfare schemes, on top gear to finish work ahead of the forthcoming Assembly election.

Chief Minister MK Stalin will kick-start the distribution of free laptops to college students, another flagship programme, said sources.

Under the first phase of the much-awaited scheme, about 10 lakh students from Arts and Science colleges, engineering institutions, agricultural universities, and medical colleges will receive free laptops. An additional 10 lakh students will be covered in the second phase. The government had announced the scheme in the 2025–26 Budget and earmarked a whopping Rs 2,000 crore to implement it.

Sources said the Higher Education Department has almost completed the procurement process, and officials are now carrying out final checks on the consignment. An expert committee, comprising faculty members from Anna University and IIT-Madras, and officials from the National Informatics Centre, has been tasked with overseeing the implementation. Heads of government colleges have been instructed to identify eligible beneficiaries and submit reports without delay.

Similarly, the chief minister will launch the expansion of the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai scheme on December 12. As DT Next had reported earlier, the State government tweaked the criteria to provide certain relaxations, due to which more women will be covered under the scheme.

Of the 28 lakh women who submitted fresh applications, 15 lakh women would be added as beneficiaries. With this, the total number of beneficiaries will go up to 1.30 crore women. The implementation of these schemes was one of the criticisms that the opposition had raised against the DMK-run government.

Besides hastening the welfare schemes, the government has also fast-tracked appointments to various vacancies in government departments. Apart from the postings done by the Tamil Public Service Commission, focus is also on filling the lower-level postings like watchmen and office assistants through direct postings.

"Around 1,500 village secretary posts will be filled by the end of this month. Call letters are uploaded to the government website. Other posts, like watchmen and office assistants, will be filled by district administrations. These procedures will be finished within 20 days," said an official from the revenue administration.

(With inputs from R Satyanarayana)

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