Free buses for women, 3 LPG cylinders: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay announces big welfare push

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced more benefits under the state's free bus travel scheme for women. He also announced three free LPG cylinders a year for eligible families. The announcements were made in the Assembly as Vijay moved to fulfil key electoral promises of his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.

The Chief Minister also announced that the Parandur greenfield airport project would be abandoned and a new site identified for Chennai’s second airport.

Must Read: 'Could set Tamil Nadu back 10 years': Annamalai's warning as Vijay scraps Parandur airport project

More Buses, No Income Limit

Under the expanded Vettri Payanam scheme, women will be able to travel free on more categories of government buses. There will be no income ceiling or limit on the number of trips, Vijay said in a statement under Rule 110.

Women will also be able to travel free on Express, LSS, and Deluxe government buses in metropolitan and urban areas. In suburban and hilly areas, the benefit will apply to regular-fare buses.

The expanded scheme will begin on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. It will cost the state an additional Rs 6,000 crore a year, Vijay said.

Three Free LPG Cylinders

The CM also announced the first phase of the Annapoorani Super Six scheme, a major election promise to provide free LPG cylinders to eligible families.

Three free cooking gas cylinders will initially be provided every year. The money will be credited directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts.

"This will reduce the burden of the people who have been spending extra amount to obtain the cylinders. The government has decided to provide the cost of the cooking gas cylinders. Three free LPG cylinders will be given in the first phase, and the price for cylinders will be directly credited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries," Vijay said.

The scheme will benefit 1,30,16,104 families. It will cover families with an annual income of nearly Rs 2.5 lakh, economically backward families, small and medium farmers, differently abled people, and poor families.

Preparatory work has begun. The scheme will be launched during Pongal in mid-January 2027.

The government will allocate Rs 4,000 crore a year for the scheme, Vijay said.

Parandur Airport Project Scrapped

In another major announcement, Vijay said the Parandur greenfield airport project would be abandoned.

The government will identify an alternative site for Chennai's second airport, he said.

The project had faced strong opposition from farmers and villagers who feared losing agricultural land and homes.

The chief minister said the government would not allow an airport project to disrupt local communities.

Nearly 55% of the land identified for Parandur comprised waterbodies and wetlands, he said. This made runway operations unsafe and increased the risk of flooding.

The government would continue to pursue a second airport, the CM said. The new site will be selected after technical feasibility studies and will be one where there is no public opposition.