Ungaludan Stalin, AMMA schemes may appear similar, but are different

The launch of the Ungaludan Stalin Scheme (USS) by the DMK regime has prompted the AIADMK to liken it to the Assured Maximum Service to Marginal People in All Villages (AMMA) scheme, which was implemented by the previous AIADMK government when Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister.

At least on two occasions in the last couple of days, the general secretary of the principal Opposition party, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who is on a State-wide tour, called the new scheme an instance of the DMK government resorting to “pasting stickers” on what was carried out by his party while in power. On Tuesday, former Revenue Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, too, made the same point in a social media post. According to the policy note of the Revenue Department for 2020-21, around 64.15 lakh petitions were received at 64,079 camps during 2012-2020, of which 64.09 lakh petitions were disposed of.

The two schemes have a common objective - providing government services at the people’s doorstep. Apart from redressing the grievances of the people, both the schemes pave the way for enrolment of new beneficiaries under various schemes. For example, about 10 years ago, the registration of farmers under the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) and individuals under Aadhaar was given priority. Currently, the coverage of new beneficiaries under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT), a basic income scheme for women heads of families, is being given importance.

Still, the two schemes differ in scope, according to a perusal of the government orders issued in March 2013 (on the AMMA scheme), and in June 2025 (on USS). The key difference between the two schemes is that while the former took care of only those in rural areas, the latter will cover people in urban areas, too. As per the G.O. issued by the Public (Mudhalvarin Mugavari) Department on June 19, a total of 10,000 camps would be held in the next four months (till November). In urban areas, 3,768 camps would be conducted and, in rural areas, 6,232. Among districts, Salem accounts for the highest number of camps at 432, followed by Chennai (400) and Tiruvallur (389).

‘Improved version’

Clarifying that the current government’s latest initiative is an improved version of Makkaludan Mudhalvar, which was inaugurated in urban areas in November 2023 and extended to the remaining areas gradually, P. Amudha, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management), told The Hindu that the USS had been launched with a “door-to-door campaign”.

To a query on the continuance of Ungalai Thedi Ungal Ooril, another outreach programme of the government launched in January 2024, wherein Collectors would stay in a given taluk on a designated day for 24 hours to take up field visits, interact with the public, and get feedback on government schemes, Ms. Amudha said it would resume “after the USS camps”.

Wouldn’t the system of providing services to the people online, without direct interface with officials, be better than the conventional way of holding camps, receiving petitions, and disposing of them? To this, the official said that “due to illiteracy and lack of clarity” among sections of petitioners, “supporting documents” were not attached while applying online. This had led to the rejection of a number of applications.