T.N. Chief Minister announces new house for Madurai P.Chinnapillai under Kalaignar Kanavu Illam scheme

Tamil Nadu CM M. K. Stalin promises new house for Padma awardee Madurai P. Chinnapillai, sparking political controversy.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Saturday said a new house would be provided to Padma awardee Madurai P. Chinnapillai, under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam scheme announced in the State Budget for 2024-25 and the construction will begin this month.

Ms. Chinnapillai, a social worker, was presented the Stree Shakti Puraskar Award by the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. According to media reports, she had complained about not being allocated a house under the Prime Minister’s housing scheme, though she was given an assurance, an official statement pointed out.

After hearing the news, the Chief Minister instructed the District Collector to take appropriate measures to provide a new house to Ms. Chinnapillai. In addition to the one cent housing site already provided, she would be given patta for 380 square feet of land in Pillucheri, the release said.

Meanwhile, BJP State president K. Annamalai alleged that the DMK government was politicising the Central government scheme and blamed the State government for the delay. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the responsibility of identifying the beneficiary and executing the project rests with the State government, he said. Only after several follow-ups with the Collector, Ms. Chinnapillai claimed that one cent of land was allocated to her (though it was not sufficient) and there has been no progress in the allocation of funds ever since in the last two years, Mr. Annamalai said.