Chennai: Amma two-wheeler scheme, one of the major poll promises that gave late J. Jayalalithaa a straight second shot at power in 2016 elections, will officially kickstart on her 70th birth anniversary on February 24. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami will launch the scheme that aims at providing Rs 25,000 or 50 per cent as subsidy to working women for buying mopeds.
Announcing the guidelines for the ambitious scheme, the government said women planning to purchase a two-wheeler under the scheme would receive maximum 50 per cent or Rs 25,000 as government subsidy.
“Those women in the age group of 18-40 and have an annual income of less than Rs 2.50 lakh are eligible for the scheme. Preferences will be given to families run by a woman, a widower, disabled women and transgender. Only one person from a family was eligible for the scheme,” the guidelines said.
While announcing the scheme on February 20, two days after he took charge as Chief Minister, Palaniswami had said the government would provide subsidy to 1 lakh women every year.
“To implement the promise made in the poll manifesto, the government has decided to provide 50 per cent to 1 lakh people every year. The scheme will be known as 'Amma two-wheeler scheme' and this will cost the exchequer '200 crore every year,” Mr Palaniswami had said in February.
Providing of subsidy to buy mopeds to working women was one of the major poll promises made by late Jayalalithaa during her high-voltage campaign in the run up to the 2016 Assembly elections.
