In the past five years, the M.K. Stalin government had implemented several welfare schemes with far-reaching impact that helped uplift the lives of women as well as other sections.
It delivered on its key poll promises such as the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam that entitled 1.31 crore women heads of families to receive a monthly rights grant of ₹1,000 and the Vidiyal Payanam scheme allowing women to travel with ‘zero cost’ bus tickets in select routes.
At the same time, the government introduced schemes that did not figure in its manifesto. This included empowering schemes such as Pudhumai Penn, Tamil Pudhalvan, Naan Mudhalvan, Illam Thedi Kalvi, Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam, and Thayumanavar.
But how many of the 505 promises the DMK made in 2021 have been fulfilled? The party leaders have made varying claims about this in the past. Some leaders claimed 90% of them had been honoured.
However, earlier this month, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, officially, in the presence of the Chief Minister, announced 75% promises were either fulfilled or were being fulfilled.
As for the breakdown, he said 206 promises had been fulfilled, 170 were being implemented, and 32 were under the consideration of the State government, while 33 were pending with the Union government. As many as 20 promises were dropped “as not feasible”. The Minister, however, did not mention which of them were found unfeasible.
A perusal of the 2021 manifesto, however, threw up some significant promises that were either not fulfilled or only partially addressed.
Promise No. 3 in the manifesto read: “DMK in its efforts to oppose the National Education Policy introduced by the BJP government will formulate a separate State Education Policy for Tamil Nadu. To achieve this goal, a high-level committee comprising various educationists and other experts will be established.” The government did constitute the Justice Murugesan Committee. However, it released only the Tamil Nadu School Education Policy 2025, while the Higher Education Policy is yet to be formulated.
Horticulture University
A Horticulture University (No. 53) in Krishnagiri and Agriculture University in Madurai (No. 54) are still on paper. A separate reservation of 2.5% (No. 332) for students from government-aided schools in medical colleges was not implemented.
The promise No. 159 that the government will repay graduate education loans for students from schools in Tamil Nadu, under 30 years of age, who are unable to pay it back within a year, was also not taken forward.
The government did not execute the assurance to establish Kalaignar Canteens (No. 331) in 500 locations in the first phase to provide food at a subsidised cost for poor, underprivileged people across the State.
As for battling corruption, the DMK promised to establish special courts (No. 21) to handle corruption cases against former AIADMK Ministers and expedite its function. But the DVAC only registered cases against some former Ministers.
The government also did not take any steps to introduce a legislation to reserve 75% of the private sector jobs for locals (No. 196). The DMK had also said priority would be given to first generation graduates in government jobs (No. 179).
While it had promised to restore the Old Pension Scheme (No. 309), the government walked a tight rope; found a via media and introduced the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme.
Among the most populist promises, the government was unable to fulfil its assurance of giving ₹100 as cooking gas cylinder subsidy (No. 503) to ration cardholders. It did not reduce the price of diesel by ₹4 per litre (No. 504).
While as part of the same promise, it had promised to cut petrol price by ₹5 per litre, the government actually slashed it by ₹3 (state excise duty).
Nonetheless, the government fulfilled its promise (No. 505) to reduce the price of Aavin milk by ₹3 per litre.
Its other populist promise that remains unkept is to introduce a monthly payment of electricity bills (No. 221). The DMK manifesto had said, “The existing system of bimonthly payment of electricity bills will be replaced with a monthly payment system to ease the financial burden on people. This scheme will enable a user household to save up to ₹6,000 (for <1000 units) annually.”
While the DMK promised it would get NEET-based medical admissions abolished (No. 160), it could not fulfil it despite passing a Bill twice, as the President withheld assent.
Promise No. 376 said, “During the present AIADMK government, the Legislative Assembly has been convened for only a few days, because of which many problems faced by people could not be addressed. Therefore, DMK will ensure that the Assembly is convened for at least 100 days or more.” However, the average annual sitting days of the Assembly was just 32 days, lower than 34 of during the AIADMK regime, according to an analysis by PRS Legislative Research, an independent research body.
Published – March 30, 2026 12:04 am IST
