Members of Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types Differently Abled and Caregivers staging a road blockade near Madurai Collectorate on Monday.
| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK

Members of Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) as part of the State-wide protest demanding a hike in monthly assistance, gathered outside Collectorate here on Tuesday. 

More than 200 differently abled people who gathered at the location raised slogans to fulfil their demands or lodge them in prison. 

A. Balamurugan, district secretary, TARATDAC, said that when a State like Andhra Pradesh, which was half the size of Tamil Nadu in terms of area and population, was able to give ₹6,000 as minimum assistance for differently abled people and ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for people with serious disabilities, why Tamil Nadu government could not provide the similar assistance.  

It was to be noted that the total budget filed by the Andhra Pradesh government for 2024-25 was ₹2.94 lakh crores. “For the same year, Tamil Nadu government’s budget was ₹4.15lakh crores,” he noted.  

When this was the case, the monthly assistance provided by Tamil Nadu government for differently abled people was just ₹1,500 and ₹2,000 for seriously disabled and mentally challenged people, he observed.  

The difference between the State could also be seen in the coverage of beneficiaries in the schemes. “When 8.5 lakh people are covered under the monthly assistance in Andhra Pradesh, only 7.37 lakh people are benefited in Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Balamurugan stated. 

In coverage of beneficiaries under other social welfare schemes like old age pension and widow pension, Andhra Pradesh government has covered 65 lakh people, while only 33 lakh beneficiaries were included in such schemes in Tamil Nadu, he noted.  

Mr. Balamurugan, listing the contrast between the governments in providing assistances to people, said that Tamil Nadu government, which was boasting of its social welfare schemes and social justice, should also introspect on its promises by comparing itself with other nearby States.  

“When officials deny our demands as being unreasonable, how can other States comparatively smaller in population size and budget allocation afford that,” he asked.  

The ‘fill the jails’ protest was organised to show the pain the people were undergoing because of not being able to live a decent and self-sustained life, he said.  

More than 150 protesters were denied and lodged in a private hall. Later they were released. 

More than 300 people who protested at Peraiyur taluk office raising similar demands were arrested and later released.