CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday charged that the DMK government failed to control the spiralling prices of essential commodities. Concluding the third phase of his state-wide tour in Chengalpattu, he compared commodity prices during the AIADMK regime with those under the present government.
Addressing a public meeting at Madurantakam, EPS said prices of rice, pulses and edible oils have steeply increased, along with construction materials, hurting the poor and middle class. He recalled that the AIADMK had set up a Rs 100-crore price control fund to procure goods from neighbouring states and distribute them through cooperatives.
He also reiterated his charge on the state’s mounting debt, pointing out that borrowings stood at Rs 5.18 lakh crore in 2021, but nearly doubled in four years of DMK rule. “How are they going to repay this? It is the people who will bear the burden. Although the revenue increased, the DMK government did not bring any good schemes using that money. The people have apprehensions about where all the money has gone,” he said.
The AIADMK leader also alleged that massive irregularities took place in Pongal dhotis and sarees distribution scheme. He promised that if the AIADMK comes to power in 2026, concrete houses would be provided to fishermen’s families.
The AIADMK leader also alleged that at Pillaiyarpatti in Thanjavur, 1,538 tonnes of rice stored in the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation warehouse in 2022 had gone waste due to lack of maintenance.
Palaniswami to begin fourth phase of tour from Madurai
Chennai: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will begin the fourth phase of his state-wide tour from Thirupparankundram in Madurai on September 1. Palnaiswami launched his tour from Coimbatore on July 7 and has so far addressed over 105 public meetings covering more than 100 Assembly constituencies.
During the fourth phase, the AIADMK leader will visit Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Coimbatore, and Tirupur and will address public meetings in around 36 constituencies before concluding the tour at Avinashi on September 13. Ahead of the tour, the AIADMK leader has also convened a meeting of the district secretaries on August 30.