CHENNAI: Taking the lead for the forthcoming Assembly elections, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday announced five election promises to the people of Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami's announcement came even before the election manifesto committee completed its public hearing.
Addressing a press conference at the AIADMK headquarters after paying homage to party founder MG Ramachandran on his 109th birth anniversary, Palaniswami said that after the election manifesto committee completes its meetings across the State, further election promises will be made.
Here are the five election promises made by Palaniswami:
Magalir Kulavilakku thittam: All family card holders will be given Rs 2,000 per month; this will be credited to the bank accounts of the women heads of the families.
Free bus rides will be provided for men also; men who are travelling in city buses will be allowed to travel free of cost, just like women.
Housing Scheme for All: Amma Housing Scheme: For those who do not own houses in rural areas, concrete houses will be provided by the government; the land will also be provided by the government. In urban areas, the government will buy land and build multi-storey apartments and give them to the needy. Similarly, in families belonging to the Scheduled Communities living together, when sons get married and set up separate households, the government will purchase land and construct concrete houses for them.
Enhancement of the 100 Days Employment Scheme to 150 Days: The Union government has announced that the 100-day job guarantee will be increased to 125 days. This scheme, aimed at rural development, will be enhanced to provide 150 days of employment.
Amma Two-Wheeler Scheme: Amma two-wheelers will be provided to five lakh women with a subsidy of Rs 25,000 each.
When asked how providing Rs 2,000 per month to women heads of families could be possible as it would further increase the debt burden on the State, Palaniswami said, "They (the DMK) were incompetent; we demonstrated our capability.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the AIADMK promised Rs 1,500 per month to housewives with a view to creating economic equality. Besides, the AIADMK had also promised to give six gas cylinders per year free of cost.
When the AIADMK was in power, the debt burden of the State was just Rs 5.18 lakh crore despite facing the Corona period when the government had no revenue earnings. However, we handled that situation efficiently. But the DMK said an expert committee would be formed to reduce the debt burden of the State, and the revenue would go up. But contrary to this, instead of increasing the income, the debt burden has increased."
When reporters asked whether providing free bus rides for men would further worsen the financial position of the State government, Palaniswami said, "If there is administrative capability, that can be done."
