DMK wants more power for states

The opposition DMK’s 70-page manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, released on Tuesday, reiterated the party’s commitment to federalism.
DMK president MK Stalin releasing the party’s poll manifesto at party headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday | D SAMPATH KUMAR
DMK president MK Stalin releasing the party’s poll manifesto at party headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday | D SAMPATH KUMAR

CHENNAI: The opposition DMK’s 70-page manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, released on Tuesday, reiterated the party’s commitment to federalism. The manifesto says DMK would push for the President to appoint Governors from a list of three names suggested by the Chief Ministers of respective States.

Further, the party said it would work towards passing a Constitutional Amendment to make decisions of the Inter-State Council binding on the Centre. Surprisingly, the manifesto makes no mention of the party’s stance on the Uniform Civil Code, which it has opposed in the past. 

The party said it would demand compensation for those who died in the aftermath of demonetisation and insist on a probe into the Rafale deal. It said it would urge the Centre to drop the neutrino and methane projects, and strive for the abolition of NEET. 

It vowed to urge the Centre to declare Cauvery delta region as a protected exclusive agricultural zone. The party has promised to employ 1 crore people, who have passed Class 10 as road workers and 50 lakh rural women as welfare workers.

Raising federalism pitch, DMK promises to set up regional council of States

Opposition DMK has raised its voice for federalism in its election manifesto for the coming parliamentary elections. In the manifesto DMK has said that Governors should be appointed by President from a list of three eminent persons suggested by Chief Ministers of the respective states. DMK will work for setting up of “ Regional Council of States” which will provide the much needed political platform for seeking solutions applicable across a group of States.

Besides, the party has stated that the party will press for scrapping Article 356 of the Constitution which provides power to the union government to dismiss elected State governments.
The party has assured that it will urge the Centre to declare Tamil as a co-official language in all  Central government offices in Tamil Nadu. The party will urge the union government to accept Tamil as court language of Madras High Court.  Also, the party has stated that it will urge the Centre to appoint qualified

Tamils as envoys to nations in which Tamils live in considerable numbers.
The party has said it is necessary to bring in major poll reforms such as proportional representation and reintroduction of ballot papers in the place of EVMs. To ensure employment opportunities, the party proposed a scheme by which 1 crore persons who had studied up to Class 10 would be employed as road workers across the country. 

It also proposed a scheme to employ 50 lakh rural women as welfare workers and said it would urge the Centre to mandate that private companies employed persons living within 20km of operation areas with a minimum salary of `10,000 as part of corporate social responsibility. It also proposed establishing high-level committees in every state to ensure job security of IT sector workers. The manifesto made assurances on the rights of women, disabled persons, senior citizens and transpersons. 

DMK will strive to set up three more Central public sector heavy industries in Tamil Nadu. It also will urge the Centre to set up an IIT in Madurai. It has assured that the party will persuade the Centre to drop the Neutrino project and Methane project in Cauvery delta region in Tamil Nadu. The party has assured it will strive to bring back Education in the State list and for abolition of NEET. Besides, the party has assured it will strive to waive the entire educational loans given to students and crop loans to small and marginal farmers. 

In order to safeguard agriculture production, Cauvery delta river basin areas should be declared as a protected exclusive agricultural zone. Hence, the DMK will impress the Union government to bring forward an appropriate legislation for this purpose immediately.

Fishing community gets attention
Will urge the Centre to create a separate and full-fledged ministry for fishermen and to establish a new major port at Tarangambadi in Nagapattinam district. The DMK will urge the Union government to implement a special scheme for palm plantations in coastal areas

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