MK Stalin Launches Rs 2,000 Monthly Aid Scheme For Orphaned Children

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the 'Anbu Karangal' (Hands of Love) scheme—a welfare program to provide monthly aid to children who lost both parents or one, with the surviving parent unable to care for them.

Under the scheme, such children will receive a monthly aid of Rs 2,000 until they complete their school education or turn 18. The initiative has been designed to ensure that education is not disrupted for vulnerable children due to the loss of parental care.

As part of the inaugural phase, 6,082 children across Tamil Nadu will be covered, with the financial assistance disbursed directly under the scheme. In addition, the government distributed laptops to 1,340 students who had lost both parents, completed their Class 12 education, and secured admission to higher education institutions through state efforts.

Officials said the initiative falls under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which empowers the state to take protective measures for orphaned and abandoned children. The launch also saw the rollout of a dedicated mobile application developed with the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency to streamline applications, grievance redressal, and monitoring of the scheme.

This comes in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections. The ruling DMK has been implementing a series of cash assistance programmes as part of its welfare agenda. More than a crore women are being given a monthly support of Rs 1,000 under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme, while students from government schools pursuing higher education also receive similar financial aid to continue their studies.