Tamil Nadu announces Annapoorani Super Six LPG scheme and wider free bus travel for women
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay told the Assembly on 24 August 2026 that the state will pay for three LPG cylinders a year from Pongal 2027 and widen free bus travel for women from 2 October.
Summary
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced the 'Annapoorani Super Six' scheme in the Legislative Assembly on 24 August 2026, under which the state will reimburse eligible families for three domestic LPG cylinders a year. The scheme will be launched on Pongal Day in January 2027, cover about 1.30 crore families and cost about ₹4,000 crore a year; six free cylinders had been a key TVK election promise. Vijay also expanded the free bus travel scheme for women, renamed Vettri Payanam (earlier Vidiyal Payanam), to cover express, LSS, deluxe and mofussil buses with no income or trip limits. The expansion takes effect on Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October 2026, at an added cost of about ₹6,000 crore a year.
Key facts
- Date
- 24 Aug 2026, Tamil Nadu Assembly
- Announced by
- CM C. Joseph Vijay
- LPG scheme
- Annapoorani Super Six: 3 cylinders/year reimbursed
- LPG coverage
- About 1.30 crore families; ~₹4,000 cr/year; from Pongal 2027
- Bus scheme
- Vettri Payanam (was Vidiyal Payanam): express, LSS, deluxe, mofussil buses
- Bus start
- 2 Oct 2026; ~₹6,000 cr/year
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Under Tamil Nadu's 'Annapoorani Super Six' scheme announced on 24 August 2026, how many LPG cylinders a year will the state pay for?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Three
The state will reimburse eligible families for three domestic LPG cylinders a year from Pongal 2027, as a first phase of the six-cylinder promise.
Tamil Nadu's expanded free bus travel scheme for women, announced in August 2026, is now called:
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Vettri Payanam
The scheme, earlier called Vidiyal Payanam, has been renamed Vettri Payanam and extended to express, LSS, deluxe and mofussil buses from 2 October 2026.
Consider the following statements about Tamil Nadu's welfare announcements of 24 August 2026: 1. The Annapoorani Super Six scheme will be launched on Pongal Day in 2027. 2. The expanded women's free bus travel will carry an income ceiling of ₹2.5 lakh. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only statement 1 is correct. The expanded bus scheme has no income ceiling and no limit on the number of trips.