TN Announces 3 Free LPG Cylinders and Expands Free Bus Travel for Women

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced two major welfare schemes in Chennai on Monday, expanding fare-free bus travel for women and transgender individuals and providing three free LPG cylinders annually to more than 1.3 crore families across Tamil Nadu. The policy measures, introduced under Rule 110 in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, are aimed at easing household expenses and mobility costs across the state.

The two welfare schemes carry a combined annual financial cost of around ₹10,000 crore for the state exchequer.

Under the expanded bus transit initiative, women and transgender persons will be permitted to travel without paying fares on express buses, limited stop services (LSS), and deluxe bus services in urban areas. Previously, beneficiaries were allowed free travel only on ordinary government buses. The expanded transport coverage will also extend to inter-district mofussil buses as well as government buses operating in hill regions, taking effect from October 2.

Chief Minister Vijay confirmed that the bus travel facility will have no restrictions based on earnings or frequency of use. There will be no income ceiling and no limit on the number of trips that eligible passengers can make.

The fare-free bus initiative, originally introduced by the DMK administration under the name 'Magalir Vidiyal Payanam', was recently renamed 'Vettri Payanam' by the TVK government. The state government will incur an additional annual expenditure of ₹6,000 crore to implement the expanded bus transit scheme.

Addressing the assembly amid loud applause from the treasury benches, Vijay highlighted the broader socioeconomic impact of the transport measure. He noted that the scheme is not merely about free bus travel, but represents a social investment securing education for students, livelihoods for workers, and household security for mothers. He added that no woman in Tamil Nadu should miss out on an opportunity due to commuting expenses.

Alongside the public transit expansion, Vijay announced the Annapurni scheme, which will provide eligible families with a financial subsidy equivalent to the cost of three LPG cooking gas cylinders each year.