Control rooms in Chennai from Monday, to help residents with women’s basic income scheme

GCC to operate control rooms in 15 zones of Chennai to facilitate Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam. 10 lakh application forms have reached city, camps to be held in two phases. 21 shops service >2,500 cards, 1,800 biometric devices to process one app in 8 mins. Training for officials on July 16, 18 & 20. 60-80 apps per day at each camp, alternative arrangements for those unable to attend. GCC coordinating with banks to open zero-balance accounts.

Starting Monday, July 17, 2023, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will operate control rooms in all 15 zones of the city to facilitate the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (women’s basic income scheme), said Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan. The scheme is to provide financial assistance of ₹1,000 per month to eligible women heads of households and is due to be launched on September 15, 2023.

Speaking to media persons on Saturday, Mr. Radhakrishnan said 10 lakh application forms have reached the city, for residents to apply for the scheme. “The remaining applications will reach the city in two days,” he said. Camps for residents to fill in the application forms and submit them, will be held in two phases in Chennai, Mr. Radhakrishnan said.

There are 1,417 ration shops in the city and 17.18 lakh ration card holders. The number of ration cards serviced by each ration shop ranges from around 500 to 2,500. A total of 21 shops service more than 2,500 cards.

Camps for residents of 650 shops will be conducted in the first phase and over 700 shops will be covered in the second phase.

Pointing to 1,800 biometric devices in the city for the collection of data, Mr. Radhakrishnan said teams will process one application in eight minutes. “There will be a guiding officer to help residents give their basic details for the application. The training for officials will be held on July 16, 18 and 20,” he said.

“The officials will process 60 to 80 applications per day at each camp. There is no need to rush to the camps. The time of submission of applications will be intimated to each card holder. Alternative arrangements will be made for those who are unable to go to the camps on a particular date,” the Commissioner said.

Manali zone has the least number of ration card holders and Tondiarpet has the largest number of ration card holders. The GCC and various agencies have started coordinating with banks to open zero-balance accounts for the residents who intend to benefit from the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam. “We have held meetings with the lead bank managers,” the Commissioner said.