CHENNAI: A recent study on the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT) scheme beneficiaries revealed that nearly half of the women who received the cash used it for purchasing household goods. 

According to a report in The Hindu, the study titled “A Right to Care, A Right to Welfare: A Study of the Kalignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam” was conducted by researchers, who are part of the Laws of Social Reproduction project, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London. The study findings showed that nearly 49 percent of the beneficiaries used the money for buying medicines, food and other household goods.

There was an increase in spending on medicines, and a reduction in spending on food, household goods and personal needs, the team found..

The study carried out in six districts such as Virudhunagar, Dharmapuri, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Vellore and Kancheepuram threw light on the fact that while the recipients appreciated the financial aid, many of them preferred paid employment opportunities.

The assessment of the scheme’s effects one year after its launch in September 2024, done by a team led by Prabha Kotiswaran, also suggested a need for periodic evaluations involving gender experts to ensure the scheme effectively addressed the needs of the beneficiaries.