Chennai, March 7 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on Saturday, greeted women across the state on the occasion of International Women's Day, which will be celebrated on Sunday, and reaffirmed the DMK government's commitment to strengthening women's rights, welfare and economic independence.

In his message, the Chief Minister praised the resilience, strength and contributions of women in every sphere of life and said their progress is central to the development of society.

Chief Minister Stalin said the Dravidian movement had long championed the cause of gender equality and social justice.

He recalled that social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy played a pivotal role in challenging patriarchal structures and questioned the historical subjugation of women through his famous work "Pen Yen Adimaiaanaal?" (Why did women become slaves?).

According to Chief Minister Stalin, Periyar's ideas helped ignite a broader social awakening on women's rights and dignity.

Chief Minister Stalin also paid tribute to former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for carrying forward those reformist ideals through progressive legislation.

He noted that Karunanidhi's government enacted laws granting equal property rights to women and implemented reservation for women in government employment, steps that significantly improved women's access to economic and social opportunities.

He said the present DMK-led state government continues to follow these ideals through what it calls the "Dravidian Model" of governance, which focuses on inclusive development and social justice.

According to the Chief Minister, empowering women through education, employment and financial security remains a central priority of his administration.

Chief Minister Stalin listed several welfare initiatives introduced by the current DMK government to improve the lives of women across Tamil Nadu.

These include the Magalir Vidiyal Payanam scheme providing free bus travel for women, the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) offering financial assistance to women heads of families, and the Pudhumai Penn scheme encouraging girls to continue their education.

He also highlighted the establishment of Thozhi hostels for working women, concessions in registration fees for properties registered in women's names, a free HPV vaccination programme for girls aged below 14 years, the Nannilam land ownership scheme for Adi Dravidar and tribal women, and the appointment of women Odhuvars in temples.

Looking ahead, the Chief Minister said that women would remain at the centre of Tamil Nadu's development agenda.

He expressed confidence that their participation and leadership would play a crucial role in shaping the state's economic future and in achieving the state government's broader vision for sustainable growth and social progress.

Reaffirming the state government's commitment, Chief Minister Stalin said that further initiatives aimed at strengthening women's financial security and opportunities would continue to be implemented.

He emphasised that the progress of women is inseparable from the progress of Tamil Nadu and that empowering them will remain a key priority of the state government in the years ahead.

/IANS