The Tamil Nadu government’s flagship housing initiative, Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme (KKIS) , is emerging as one of the state’s most ambitious welfare programmes aimed at eliminating huts and unsafe dwellings in rural areas. Launched in 2024, the scheme focuses on providing free permanent concrete houses to economically weaker families, with the larger goal of making Tamil Nadu slum-free by 2030 .
Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries are provided RCC-roofed houses measuring 300 to 360 square feet , complete with basic amenities. Each house is constructed with a government subsidy of ₹3.50 lakh , ensuring that poor families are not burdened with construction costs.
Families who do not own land are also covered, as the government has committed to allocating land to landless beneficiaries before construction begins.
The state government has set a target of constructing 8 lakh houses over six years . During the current financial year 2024–25 , construction work on one lakh houses is underway.
Addressing the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on January 24, 2026 , Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that an additional one lakh new houses would be constructed under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme at an estimated cost of ₹3,500 crore . He also revealed that work on two lakh houses is already in progress across the state.
The scheme is primarily aimed at families living in huts or structurally unsafe houses in rural Tamil Nadu. Applicants must:
Be residents of Tamil Nadu
Belong to the economically weaker section
Not own a permanent (pucca) house anywhere in the state
Priority is given to SC/ST households, widows, persons with disabilities, and destitute women , though meeting eligibility criteria does not automatically guarantee selection.
Applications for the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme are currently accepted offline only through local government offices. Interested families must approach their Village Panchayat or Block Development Office and submit required documents, including Aadhaar card, ration card, income certificate, and proof of house condition.
After submission, officials conduct field verification to assess housing conditions and eligibility. Final beneficiary selection is made by district-level authorities based on need, priority categories, and fund availability.
Officials have clarified that there is no application fee for the scheme. Applicants are advised to avoid agents or middlemen and apply only through authorised government channels.
Alongside the housing initiative, the Chief Minister also highlighted major infrastructure and welfare measures, including the construction of 2,200 km of rural roads under the Mudalvarin Grama Saalaigal Membattu Thittam and continued expansion of monthly pension schemes benefiting over 33.6 lakh people .
The Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme is being viewed as a life-changing opportunity for rural and shanty-town families who have lived for decades without secure housing. With large-scale funding, clear targets, and ongoing construction, the programme marks a significant step toward inclusive development and housing security in Tamil Nadu.