Taking a cue from political parties in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the ruling Congress has come out with a manifesto promising free mobile phones for BPL families, free water purifier or refrigerator or electric stove for all sections of people. Families whose annual income does not exceed Rs 75,000 will be eligible for the free mobile phone.
In the election manifesto released by PCC president A.V. Subramaniam, the party also promised annual financial assistance to the tune of Rs 2 lakh to students of medicine and Rs 40,000 to engineering students selected under CENTAC (Centralised admission committee) to meet their educational expenditure. Financial assistance would also be extended to students whose family income does not exceed Rs 2 lakh. A 50 per cent subsidy on laptops would be extended to poor college students.
Mr Subramaniam said that depending upon the need of families, water purifiers with RO system or refrigerator or electric stove would be supplied free of cost to all sections of people. Free bus passes would be issued to senior citizens for travel in government buses. The manifesto also promised 35 kg of free rice per month to BPL families as against the 25 kg disbursed now. Similarly for APL families 10 kg of rice and wheat would be disbursed at Rs 1 a kg.
On the issue of statehood to Puducherry, the party promised to urge the Centre to grant statehood and increase the strength of the Assembly from 30 to 40 members. It also promised hike in subsidy for construction of individual houses for SCs from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. Efforts would be made to modernise the three textile mills in Puducherry.