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 exchanges 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 festival gift, and free power of upto 450 units for handloom weavers and upto 1,400 units for powerloom weavers and waiving cooperative bank loans of small traders who have shops on sidewalks in the city. Speaking to reporters at the AIADMK headquarters here, the former Chief Minister said people have been facing hardship since the last five years of the DMK rule owing to rise in the prices of essential commodities, property tax, house tax, electricity tariff, drinking water tax and many other levies, imposing a financial burden on families. The free power to handloom weavers and powerloom weavers would be increased from 300 units to 450 units, and from 1,000 units to 1,400 units, respectively, he said. ''All these schemes will be implemented once the AIADMK comes to power by increasing the state's revenue,'' Palaniswami said and recalled that the AIADMK regime under him had provided good governance during the pandemic without causing any hardship to the people. Earlier, Palaniswami announced 10 assurances, including enhancing the monthly aid for women heads of family ration cardholders to Rs 2,000.