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Old Wine In New Bottle: ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ Is A New Name Given To AIADMK’S ‘AMMA’ Scheme 

The Commune
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The DMK, often criticized for repackaging schemes initiated by rival parties, is once again facing backlash for rebranding a previous AIADMK scheme. The DMK’s newly launched initiative, ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ (Stalin With You), closely mirrors the AIADMK’s flagship ‘Assured Maximum Service to Marginal People in All Villages’ (AMMA) scheme, with only minor modifications.

Unveiled by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on 15 July 2025, the ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ initiative promises to bring government services directly to the public through special camps set up in both urban and rural areas. According to official announcements, these camps will operate until November 2025, offering a wide range of services 43 from 13 departments in urban areas and 46 from 15 departments in rural areas. The idea is to streamline access to services such as obtaining caste and income certificates, correcting Aadhaar and ration card details, accessing health insurance cards, pension applications, patta changes, and eligibility verification under the Women’s Rights Scheme. The goal, the government claims, is to make service delivery faster, simpler, and more transparent, eliminating the need for people to visit government offices repeatedly.

However, this scheme has striking resemblance to the AIADMK’s AMMA scheme, which was launched on 24 February 2013 the birthday of the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. Under that program, the Revenue Department organized camps where officials provided essential services on-site, particularly for the elderly and economically disadvantaged. The AMMA camps addressed issues such as old-age pension distribution, patta transfers, community certificates, birth and death certificates, and other key government services—all delivered at the grassroots level.

An official release at the time highlighted the challenges faced by citizens who had to make multiple visits to tahsildar offices without often meeting the concerned officials. The AMMA scheme was seen as a solution to reduce bureaucratic delays and make governance more accessible, particularly in rural areas.

Now, with the launch of ‘Ungaludan Stalin’, many on social media have mocked the DMK for yet another example of rebranding rather than initiative, accusing the party of simply slapping a new label on an old scheme without any efforts. Memes and posts ridiculing the initiative have been circulating widely, reigniting the ongoing political rivalry between the two Dravidian parties over credit for pro-people governance.

Netizens criticised this move and called out the “sticker” job of the ruling party. Here are some comments:

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