From cattle to computer, Jaya fends for the poor

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Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa launched with fanfare and a deep sense of satisfaction four major schemes fulfilling the promises she made in her AIADMK’s manifesto during the April 13 assembly polls.

The distribution of free fans, mixies and grinders for women to enhance their comfort zone, jersey cows and goats to the rural poor to usher in a ‘white revolution’ for them, laptops to bolster the learning of Plus-1 and Plus-2 students and special incentives for students from Class 10 to 12 were major pegs in her reelection drive.

These schemes, worth Rs 2,353 crore were launched coinciding with the 102nd birth anniversary of Dravidian leader and former chief minister C.N. Annadurai, at Kakkalur in neighbouring Tiruvallur district, about 50 km from here.

“Milch cows scheme will benefit 60,000 persons in five years. Jersey cross-bred cows will help increase the milk production in the state resulting in (another) white revolution,” Ms Jayalalithaa said, describing herself as a “loving sister” of the pe-ople of the state.

She took exception to the DMK president M. Karunanidhi dismissing the free milch cows \ goats, laptop for students and consumer durables scheme for women as freebies and said, “these (schemes) are being given to uplift the beneficiaries, most of whom are the poorest of the poor.”

Launching the major schemes coinciding the 102nd birth anniversary of former chief minister C. N. Annadurai at Tiruvallur near here on Thursday she said though some persons were attempting to malign the effort as freebies and had even moved the Supreme Court (to ban the schemes), these schemes should not be demeaned as doles.

Those who had knowledge of economics would not accept say these schemes, aimed at making people self-dependent, were freebies. Flaying DMK chief M. Karunanidhi for issuing statements criticising her, Ms. Jayalalithaa said, “he had (as chief minister) said that freebies would continue till the poor existed. This is an insult to the people.” His only concern was about the poor people’s votes but not their welfare, she said.

Ms Jayalalithaa said after she took over as chief minister for the third time, her government initiated several welfare schemes to benefit the common man. The Thursday schemes were part of that pro-poor commitment, she insisted.

State Assembly Speaker D. Jayakumar, state ministers: O. Pannerselvam, K. A. Sengottaiyan, Natham R. Viswanathan, Sampath, N. R. Sivapathi, P. V. Ramana, MPs, MLAs and senior government officials participated.