Desperate to counter the ruling DMK’s alliance arithmetic and its pre-election splurge of developmental programmes across the districts and enhancing welfare schemes, the opposition AIADMK is on a freebie spree of poll promises which includes complete waiver of education loans, among other things.
Announcing the second tranche of the election manifesto in Chennai, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) said, “The AIADMK, if voted to power, will waive education loans taken from banks with the government assuming the burden.” This was to protect and relieve families from mounting financial pressure, he explained, adding, “Education must empower, not enslave our youth in debt. Our students deserve opportunity, not lifelong financial anxiety.”
Another key announcement is the enhanced Social Security Pension (SSP) of Rs 2,000 for six categories of persons. It is Rs 800 more than the existing SSP. The beneficiaries are: senior citizens, destitute widows, unmarried poor women, deserted women, differently-abled persons, and transgender individuals. Justifying this, EPS said, “No elderly person in Tamil Nadu should struggle for survival. No widow or differently-abled individual should be forced to live in indignity. We will restore respect through real financial support.”
As a direct livelihood support, the party announced that ration card holders will be provided with three LPG cylinders free of cost every year. “Rising costs have crushed household budgets. We will ensure that essential needs like cooking gas do not become a luxury,” he explained.
Recognising ‘Jallikattu’, the ancient bull taming sport, not only as the proud traditional sport of the Tamils but as an identity of the Tamils, the AIADMK has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for bull tamers who lose their life in the event and Rs 2 lakh medical assistance for those seriously injured. Further, a Rs 5 lakh government subsidy will be extended to hold authorised Jallikattu events, and the earlier manual procedure will be restored by cancelling the present online system.
In an attempt at minority outreach and to offset the image of being in tandem with the BJP, the AIADMK has promised to provide interest-free loans to women from the Muslim and Christian minority communities, as well as differently-abled women, to become entrepreneurs through self-employment. Additionally, the party would waive loans availed by these women from Co-operative Banks. “Welfare with dignity and security with responsibility,” is the new slogan EPS has coined.
In the first phase of its poll promises, the AIADMK has announced Rs 2,000 for women household heads, compared to Rs 1,000 under the present Stalin government. It has also promised a Rs 25,000 subsidy for women purchasing two-wheelers, free bus travel for men in city buses, and free concrete houses for all homeless in rural areas, along with apartments for the homeless in urban areas.