Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday unveiled the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections, announcing key welfare measures, including the expansion of the breakfast scheme to class 8 and an increase in monthly assistance for women to Rs 2,000.
Addressing a press conference in Chennai, the DMK president said Tamil Nadu had emerged as a leading state under the Dravidian model of governance, highlighting the rollout of welfare schemes and expressing confidence that the DMK would return to power for a seventh term.
Stalin said that while the party’s manifesto is normally the “hero”, this time it would be the “superstar”, adding that no other state in India had implemented welfare schemes as effectively as Tamil Nadu and describing it as a model for others, while outlining a 10-year vision focused on welfare and development.
Among the slew of welfare schemes aimed at women was the expansion of the 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam’, under which women, currently receiving Rs 1,000 per month, will have the amount raised to Rs 2,000.
The party also announced the ‘Illatharasi’ scheme, a coupon worth Rs 8,000 for women to choose and buy new or replace household items such as televisions. Women who are members of self-help groups would be provided bank loan assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh, with a subsidy and without collateral, to support entrepreneurship.
On education, the manifesto promised to expand the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme up to Class 8, while the monthly higher education grant for girl students would be increased to Rs 1,500 from Rs 1,000.
The manifesto also promised to raise the annual income ceiling under the Chief Minister’s health insurance scheme to Rs 5 lakh, with the sum assured increased to Rs 10 lakh. It said equipment for dialysis treatment in government hospitals, from districts to circles, would be doubled.
The pension for the elderly would be increased from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000, while the pension for persons with disabilities would be raised from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, the manifesto said.
On agriculture, the DMK promised to increase paddy procurement to Rs 3,500 per quintal and fix the sugarcane procurement price at Rs 4,500 per tonne. Under the free power scheme, the party promised modern pumpsets without meters for farmers, along with the construction of 10 lakh new houses over five years.
The manifesto also promised to establish 50 classical language parks across municipal corporations and major municipalities. Quality sports hostels with food and accommodation facilities would be set up in all districts, it said.
In a move aimed at creating 200,000 new jobs, the manifesto said Neo Tidal Parks would be established in every district by 2030, along with full-fledged technology parks in urban areas where needed.
In cities with a high concentration of factories, 1,000 childcare centres would be established to support working women, it added.
