Annapoorani Super Six gives 1.30 crore eligible families three free LPG cylinders a year from Pongal 2027. Vettri Payanam expands free bus travel to Express and mofussil routes, with no income ceiling, from October 2.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced two major welfare measures in the Assembly on Monday — a new free LPG scheme covering more than 1.30 crore families, and a sweeping expansion of the state's free bus travel programme. Together, the two schemes carry an estimated annual cost of ₹10,000 crore to the exchequer.
The Annapoorani Super Six scheme will provide three free LPG cylinders annually to the female head of eligible households, from the Pongal festival in January 2027. The cost of each cylinder will be reimbursed and credited directly to the bank account of the female head after the cylinder is booked and delivered, through a Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism based on official billing from oil marketing companies.
The scheme covers households with an annual income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh, economically weaker sections, families of small and marginal farmers, and families of differently-abled persons. The estimated annual outlay is ₹4,000 crore, and the scheme is expected to benefit more than 1.30 crore families.
The existing free bus travel scheme for women — previously named Vidiyal Payanam and restricted to ordinary buses in cities and municipal areas, with distance limits — is being expanded and renamed Vettri Payanam, effective from October 2, 2026 (Gandhi Jayanti).
| Before (Vidiyal Payanam) | After (Vettri Payanam) | |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary city buses | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
| Express, LSS, Deluxe city/urban buses | ✗ Not included | ✓ Free |
| Mofussil and hill route ordinary buses | ✗ Not included | ✓ Free |
| Inter-district journeys | ✗ Restricted | ✓ No restriction |
| Number of journeys per day | Limited | No limit |
| Income ceiling | Applied | No ceiling |
| Transgender persons | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
“There is no income ceiling or other restriction to avail of the scheme. This will enable girl students to travel to colleges in faraway places and women to access employment wherever it is available,” Vijay said. The government estimates the expanded scheme will cost approximately ₹6,000 crore every year.
The LPG scheme directly fulfils the manifesto promise of free LPG cylinders for women — a commitment recorded as in progress on this site's tracker since May. The bus travel expansion deepens a promise already partially kept on Day 1 (free travel on ordinary city buses), now substantially broadened in scope, routes and eligibility. Both are updated on the manifesto tracker.
The day's announcements — combined with the Parandur airport cancellation — represent the government's most significant single Assembly day since the 100-day milestone on 17 August.
Annapoorani Super Six LPG Scheme Vettri Payanam Free Bus Travel August 24, 2026