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Journalism of Courage
The ruling AIADMK on Sunday unleashed a charm offensive on voters with the unveiling of its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls, promising to implement “Amma Illam Thittam,” a scheme promising affordable housing for all, provide travel concessions to women, ensure doorstep delivery of ration items, six free gas cylinders annually for every household and solar kitchens for all. However, topping all else was the promise of Amma washing machines.
The manifesto also promised 150 days’ work under MGNREGA, as opposed to 100 days, free 2GB data for college students throughout the year, waiver of educational loans, measures to reduce soaring fuel prices, increasing the maternity leave period to one year, hike in pension for the differently abled, increase in old age pension to Rs 2,000, an organic farming research centre and government-run training facilities for UPSC, NEET, IIT-JEE, TNPSC aspirants.
The ruling party also promised to release all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and push for dual citizenship of Sri Lankan refugees.
In more poll sops, it promised government jobs for at least one person in every household, renovation of all religious sites that are in a dilapidated state, hike in aid for Hajj and Jerusalem pilgrims, free crematoriums for minorities, renaming Madurai international airport after U Muthuramalingam Thevar, late politician and patriarch of the powerful Thevar community in Madurai belt, an Islamic University and free Arasu cable network for all households.
