Key Points

According to official figures, the petitions were received through 3,561 special camps organised across the state between July 15 and August 14.

The campaign, launched to take governance closer to the people, was designed to provide citizens with a platform to submit grievances and seek access to welfare schemes directly at their doorsteps.

The initiative enabled lakhs of residents, particularly from rural areas, to bring issues related to welfare schemes, certificates, and government services to the attention of officials without the hurdles of visiting multiple offices.

A notable aspect of the petitions was the high number of women applicants.

Reports indicate that 13.7 lakh petitions came from women seeking re-enrolment in the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT) scheme, a monthly financial assistance programme for eligible women heads of households.

The sheer volume of applications underscores both the popularity of the scheme and the demand for ensuring continuity of benefits among the state’s women beneficiaries.

Officials have emphasised that the government intends to process these petitions on a war footing.

The Greater Chennai Corporation, which coordinated the campaign within the city, has assured that all grievances registered during the camps will be addressed within 45 days.

Similar assurances have been given by district administrations across Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's government has positioned 'Ungaludan Stalin' as an extension of its larger goal of bringing administration closer to the people.

The outreach initiative builds on earlier grievance-redressal mechanisms such as 'Ungal Thoguthiyil Mudhalamaichar' (Chief Minister in Your Constituency), but with greater accessibility and larger participation. With the staggering number of petitions received in a short span, the state government now faces the challenge of ensuring speedy follow-up action.

Observers note that the credibility of the campaign will ultimately rest on whether these lakhs of grievances are resolved within the promised timeframe, thereby strengthening public faith in the government's delivery mechanisms.

- IANS