Going full steam on the populist route, AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced a slew of freebies and welfare measures to stake her claim for a successive term in office.
Releasing the AIADMK’s election manifesto at Perundurai in Erode district — the native of Dravidian icon Periyar — Ms. Jayalalithaa promised to provide free cellphones to all ration card holders, free set-top-boxes to Arasu cable viewers, free internet with free laptops for students and wi-fi in public places like bus termini, commercial complexes and parks.
Targeting women, she announced that the government will give 50 per cent subsidy on mopeds/scooters for women to facilitate easy commute. She also increased maternity leave to nine months, maternity assistance to Rs. 18,000 and gold for thali (mangal sutra) to one sovereign (eight gram). Under the noon meal scheme, children would also be provided breakfast.
For farmers, Ms. Jayalalithaa promised to waive all kinds of loans with co-operative banks and lend Rs. 40,000 crore as farm loans over the next five years. The State will not allow any scheme, including methane or shale gas extraction, that is detrimental to the delta farmers, she promised.
Free power
She also announced that 100 units of electricity will be provided to households free of cost. “This will benefit everyone; in particular, the 78 lakh domestic users consuming below 100 units will not have to pay any charge,” she said. Ms. Jayalalithaa also increased the free power available to handloom and powerloom weavers to 200 and 750 units, respectively.
Employment
Under the head ‘job for one in each household’, Ms. Jayalalithaa has promised to create opportunities to ensure employment for one person in each family. The government will repay the educational loans of youth who have taken the loans but could not find jobs.
There was not much on offer on the industrial front, including schemes for the information technology and infrastructure sectors.
