AIADMK unveils third phase of poll promises

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday unveiled his party's third phase of poll promises for the upcoming Assembly election. The AIADMK would provide a one-time ex-gratia of Rs 10,000 to each family in order to reduce the hardships caused by the DMK regime during which the prices of essential commodities have risen sharply, he said. Making a slew of announcements coinciding with the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary, Palaniswami said a stipend of Rs 2,000 per month to degree holders registered with the employment exchanges and awaiting jobs, and Rs 1,000 to those who studied upto Plus Two and registered with the employment exchange would be provided when the AIADMK comes to power. He announced enhancing the relief to fishermen given during the ban period to Rs 12,000 from the present Rs 8,000, a Pongal incentive of Rs 1,000 to ration cardholders as Pongal festival gift, and free power of upto 450 units for handloom weavers and 1,400 units for powerloom weavers and waiving cooperative bank loans of small traders.