CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa’s reform-push is in full force. Just a day after she assumed office for the fifth time on May 23, she announced five new welfare schemes. Many more are in the pipeline but due to the model code of conduct being in force at present, for the RK Nagar Assembly Constituency poll, these announcements have been deferred till July.
However, in just a month, Jayalalithaa has inaugurated 56,380 solar-powered green houses built at a cost of Rs 1,095 crore, 334 new buses, 201 new Amma canteens, nine new taluks, 16 more Amma pharmacies, new buildings for all departments etc.
Of the first five schemes announced after taking over as Chief Minister on May 23, four would be implemented at a cost of Rs 2,627.13 crore. The fifth scheme, to provide solar-power green houses to poor families living in all town panchayats, is being calculated and the amount to be spent on this would definitely be huge.
Besides, on the first day in the office, Jayalalithaa, to cushion the poor and middle-class from the rise in prices of pulses, launched a scheme to sell 500 gm packets of “A” grade lentils (pigeon pea) and black gram at subsidised rates of Rs 53.50 and Rs 56, respectively, to stabilise the prices of these pulses in open market. “B” grade black gram would be sold at Rs 49.50 per 500 gm packet.
Besides clearing a project on improving roads in urban local bodies at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore, she also announced three key schemes—implementation of Tamil Nadu Rural Roads Improvement Scheme at a cost of Rs 800 crore, setting up of 1,274 reverse osmosis plants at a cost of Rs 77.13 crore in many town panchayats to provide drinking water, and the execution of a scheme to benefit poor families headed by women at a cost of Rs 750 crore.
Similarly, to set right the drinking water scarcity prevailing in 30 town panchayats, as many as 1,274 reverse osmosis plants would be set up in residential neighbourhoods, Amma canteens, hospitals and public places at a cost of Rs 77.13 crore.
Besides, the long list of welfare schemes implemented by the Jayalalithaa government in the past four years will help AIADMK in the Assembly elections due in 2016.
Her acquittal by the Karnataka High Court in a disproportionate wealth case and her subsequent return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has been a huge setback for her political rivals. The Opposition, already in disarray, has now plunged into deeper confusion as to how to strategize for elections to the state Assembly which are just 10 months away or by the end of 2015, in case Jayalalithaa opts for snap polls.
The desperation of the Opposition parties, particularly the DMK, BJP and the DMDK, is quite obvious. The DMK is trying its best to cobble up an alliance, the BJP has been trumpeting it would be an alternative for both the Dravidian majors—AIADMK and DMK. On the other hand, the PMK, for the sake of ally BJP, has announced its CM candidate much ahead. The DMDK-led by actor Vijaykant is building castles in the air with the actor-turned-politician wishing to be the chief ministerial candidate of the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
While major political parties devise their next move, smaller ones such as the VCK, MMK and TMC led by former Union minister G K Vasan have been campaigning for a share in power after the 2016 Assembly elections.
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Recent schemes announced by Jayalalithaa
■ Special scheme to improve roads in urban local bodies Cost Rs 1,000 crore
■ Implementation of Tamil Nadu Rural Roads Improvement Scheme Cost Rs 800 crore
■ Setting up 1,274 RO plants in 30 town panchayats Cost Rs 77.13 crore
■ Scheme to benefit poor families headed by women Cost Rs 750 crore
■ Solar-powered green houses for poor families in urban areas
■ Scheme to sell 500 gm packets of “A” grade lentils (pigeon pea) and black gram at subsidised rates of Rs 53.50 and Rs 56, “B” grade black gram would be sold at Rs 49.50 per 500 gm packet