Get cracking, Jaya tells her ministers

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Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa spent a good part of her Day 2 in office reviewing the work being done in various departments and holding an informal meeting with her cabinet colleagues that stretched to almost three hours Tuesday evening.

She explained to her ministers what was expected of them in their departments, particularly keeping in view the AIADMK poll manifesto and her promise to deliver on those promises within the next 18 months, sources said.

“Amma asked us to go to the people and find out what they need. She told us to focus on what we have promised in our election manifesto and devise means how best and how soon our government can deliver,” a minister told Deccan Chronicle, when asked for details of the ministers’ meet.

Chief secretary Debendranath Sarangi and finance secretary K. Shanmugam were present, helping the chief minister with specifics relating to the various schemes and also official processes.

“This is not an official cabinet meeting, but only an informal meet to explain our priorities and the manner in which we must move forward. Amma has demonstrated how serious she is about implementing the election promises by constituting a department for this purpose and appointing S.P. Velumani as its minister,” explained another minister.

Within hours of taking oath of office on Monday, Jayalalithaa approved files sanctioning seven of the election promises made by her party, mostly targeting women, senior citizens and the differently-abled.

The seven schemes included supply of 20 kilos of rice free to ration cardholders — this entitlement goes up to 35 kilos for the poor under Antyodaya Anna Yojana; four grams gold plus Rs 25,000 for brides — the cash dole is doubled for the bride with a degree or diploma and increase; doubling the Rs 500 pension to senior citizens/differently-abled/widows and women abandoned by husbands; and, paid maternity leave for six months to state staff.

Improving law and order in Tamil Nadu is another important issue engaging the chief minister’s attention.

She had said in a lighter vein that as soon as her party won the election, the anti-socials and chain-snatchers fled to the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Stating that the state had suffered much damage on various fronts, Jayalalithaa had promised during her media interaction on Monday that she would “strive to make Tamil Nadu the number one state in the country.”