Chennai, February 24 AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday unveiled his party's third phase of 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 alleviate the hardships caused by the DMK regime, during which prices of essential commodities have risen sharply, he said.
Making a series of announcements coinciding with the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary, Palaniswami said a stipend of Rs 2,000 per month would be provided to degree holders registered with employment exchanges and awaiting jobs, and Rs 1,000 to those who have completed up to Plus Two and are registered with employment exchanges, once the AIADMK comes to power.
He also announced increasing the relief given to fishermen during the ban period from the current Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000, a Pongal incentive of Rs 1,000 to ration cardholders as a festival gift, and free power up to 450 units for handloom weavers and up to 1,400 units for powerloom weavers, as well as waiving cooperative bank loans for small traders who have shops on sidewalks in the city.
Speaking to reporters at the AIADMK headquarters here, the former Chief Minister said that people have been facing hardship since the last five years of the DMK rule due to the rising prices of essential commodities, property tax, house tax, electricity tariff, drinking water tax, and other levies, which have imposed a financial burden on families.
The free power for handloom 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 increasing the monthly aid for women heads of family ration cardholders to Rs 2,000.
