ADMK govt neglects SHGs in TN despite being headed by a woman. DMK will revive SHGs

Mounting a powerful indictment of the ruling establishment's gender insensitivity, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin severely criticized the AIADMK government for systematically neglecting and paralyzing the women's self-help group (SHG) movement across Tamil Nadu. Stalin pointed out the profound irony that despite being headed by a female Chief Minister, the AIADMK administration had starved rural women's groups of revolving funds, suspended bank credit linkages, and dismantled marketing support systems over five wasted years.

Stalin highlighted that the revolutionary self-help group movement was originally founded and nurtured into a national model under DMK governance in 1989 in Dharmapuri district under Kalaignar Karunanidhi, liberating millions of rural women from oppressive local moneylenders and fostering micro-entrepreneurship. Under AIADMK tenure, however, these vibrant community collectives were reduced to political spectator groups and denied essential administrative patronage. Stalin gave a firm policy guarantee that an incoming DMK government would revitalize the self-help group ecosystem on a war footing. He pledged to double revolving credit funds, waive high interest rates on microloans, establish district-level marketing bazaars for SHG products, and ensure comprehensive socio-economic independence and leadership opportunities for women across all rural and urban local bodies.