Tamil Nadu Rolls Out Thayumanavar Scheme: Home Delivery of PDS Items to Elderly and Differently Abled

Chennai, Aug 2025 – Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday launched the Thayumanavar Scheme, aimed at delivering essential public distribution system (PDS) commodities directly to the homes of senior citizens aged 70 and above, as well as differently abled persons across Tamil Nadu.

Under the initiative, key PDS items—rice, sugar, wheat, palmolein oil, and toor dal—will be brought to beneficiaries’ doorsteps on the second Saturday and Sunday of every month. To mark the launch, Stalin flagged off vehicles carrying supplies to residents in Gopal Nagar, Tondiarpet, and Sathya Nagar, and personally interacted with some recipients.

The scheme, first reported by The New Indian Express on June 17, was simultaneously inaugurated in various districts. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin flagged off deliveries to 2,467 beneficiaries in his Chepauk–Triplicane constituency, while ministers and officials launched similar drives in their respective regions.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister described the programme as the Cooperative Department’s “greatest service,” noting that it comes with an additional annual cost of ₹30.16 crore. “This is a life-saving responsibility,” he said, praising department staff for their commitment. Stalin highlighted that Tamil Nadu operates 37,328 fair price shops—2,394 of them opened in the last four years—which he credited with preventing starvation deaths in the state.

Each fair price shop has been assigned between 35 and 180 beneficiaries for the scheme. Delivery vehicles will be equipped with point-of-sale (POS) machines and weighing scales, ensuring Aadhaar-based authentication before items are handed over at the recipient’s doorstep.

Two-Decade-Old Idea Revived

In Salem, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth called the implementation a “victory” for her late husband, actor-politician Vijayakanth. She said the concept was first announced in the DMDK’s 2006 election manifesto, nearly 20 years ago. “Captain had envisioned this scheme long ago; it is gratifying to see it implemented now,” she said after a meeting with the party’s booth committee leaders.

With its official rollout, the Thayumanavar Scheme is expected to benefit thousands of elderly and differently abled citizens, ensuring they receive their essential food rations without the need to visit distribution centres—furthering Tamil Nadu’s long-standing goal of inclusive welfare delivery.