Chennai: DMK on Sunday promised total prohibition, setting up Lokayukta, a cut in state-run Aavin Milk price by Rs 7 a litre, revival of the Legislative Council, and implementation of the Sethusamudram project in its manifesto for the May 16 Assembly polls.
DMK did not, however, announce any populist freebie schemes on the scale of free colour televisions it had made in 2006, though it promised a slew of concessions and waivers, catering to various sections of people.
It includes mobile phones for the poor at government expenditure, free wi-fi, internet for students, waiver on crop and educational loans, inclusion of free milk in nutritious meal scheme, and Rs 60,000 assistance to women for marriage.
DMK also promised improvisation in some ongoing schemes like marriage assistance plan. Currently, the AIADMK government provides Rs 50,000 assistance and gold for mangalsutra.
It assured 'Anna (on the name of DMK founder and former Chief Minister CN Annadurai) Unavagam," in the place of Amma Unavagam, a cost-effective chain of state-run canteens.
Releasing the manifesto, Karunanidhi attacked AIADMK chief and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa over her promise of implementing prohibition in a phase manner and dismissed it as "deceitful".
He said the state-run liquor outlet - TASMAC - employees will be provided alternative employment.
He said Tamil will be introduced as "co-official language" in central government offices too in Tamil Nadu. He promised waiver of crop loan for small and micro farmers, and a separate budget for agriculture. A separate farm budget is a pet theme of the PMK. DMK also promised waiver of educational loans for students.
The 100-day employment scheme will be extended by 50 more days, the manifesto said.
DMK also promised uninterrupted power supply, desalination plants in coastal districts, satellite town at Vandalur and nine month maternity leave for government employees.
He said a separate minister will take care of water resources management. "We need a minister to prevent flooding in Chennai," he said.
He promised 200 check dams at a cost of Rs 2000 crore to help prevent flooding. Water bodies like lakes will be desilted at an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore, he said.
The manifesto promised withdrawal of all defamation cases launched by AIADMK regime and cases filed against anti-nuke agitators of Kudankulam, besides cases against workers who had fought for their rights.
It promised Metro Rail in Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, and Coimbatore, hutments-free Tamil Nadu, setting up Chennai Metro Flood Control and Management Committee, continuation of 20 kilo free rice in PDS shops and five lakh houses for fishermen and wi-fi facility at all public places.
For government employees, the party said it would re-introduce the old pension scheme.
DMK will also urge the Central government to bring a legislation to provide reservation in High Courts. Setting up of industrial corridor from Madurai to Tuticorin and Chennai to Hosur, giving skill training to 25 lakh students, Rs 1300 old age pension, a grant of Rs 3 lakh to build houses in villages.
The party said steps will be taken for including the fishermen community in the list of scheduled tribes. The present rate of Rs 2000 as relief for fishing holiday period will be increased to Rs 5000. Further, aid to fishermen as monsoon relief will also be increased from Rs 4000 to Rs 5000, the manifesto promises.
"Request by the weavers for increasing free power for power loom to 750 units from the present 500 units will be considered," it said.
Hundred units of free power every two months supplied at present to handloom weavers will be increased to 200 units. Similarly, 100 units of free power will be supplied to home-attached power looms.
On tackling loss arising out of implementing prohibition, it said it would formulate schemes to compensate the loss and promised de-addiction centres in all districts.
DMK will continue to urge the Centre to make Tamil one of the official languages of the Centre, and as co-official language in Central government offices in Tamil Nadu and to accept Tamil as a language in High Court.
It said it would enact the Right to Services Act to ensure proper delivery of government services. On employment front, it said preference in government jobs will be given to the first generation graduates. "About three lakh persons will get government jobs."
Under a matching grant scheme for setting up small enterprises, the state will contribute Rs 1 lakh if those seeking to be self-employed invest Rs 1 lakh.
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