In news– State government of Tamil Nadu has announced Universal basic income of ₹1,000 for women beneficiaries.
Key features of the scheme-
- The scheme is named “Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam” (Women’s Right to Income Scheme), which is the government’s recognition of women’s hard work.
- Two primary objectives of the scheme are to recognise the life-long relentless selfless work of women and to eradicate poverty by complementing their livelihood with an annual aid of ₹12,000 and further to ensure their self-respect and improve their standard of living in the society.
- The Rs 1,000 monthly payout would be directly deposited in the bank accounts of beneficiaries, who shall be the women who need it.
- Beneficiaries of the scheme include: Road-side women vendors, fisherwomen, those into construction work, workers in minor commercial establishments, domestic helps employed in multiple households.
- About one crore women across Tamil Nadu would benefit from the scheme and the monthly aid of ₹1,000 would be deposited to deserving women directly in their bank accounts.
- The scheme would be implemented from September 15, 2023. In the Budget, the government set apart Rs 7,000 crore for the scheme.
What Is Universal Basic Income (UBI)?
- It is a government program in which every adult citizen receives a set amount of money regularly.
- The goals of a basic income system are to alleviate poverty and replace other need-based social programs that potentially require greater bureaucratic involvement.
- The idea of universal basic income has gained momentum in the U.S. as automation increasingly replaces workers in manufacturing and other sectors of the economy.
Source: The Hindu
