Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa this week announced a number of promises while releasing her party AIADMK’s manifesto ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled for May 16. Appealing to the people to again vote her party into power, Jayalalithaa, or Amma as her supporters like to call her, highlighted the list of schemes including ‘Amma canteens’ which were not promised earlier but have been launched by her party during its tenure.

In its manifesto, the AIADMK has promised things like 100 unit free electricity to every household, employment for one member of every family, free laptops with internet for class 11 and 12 students. Also targeting the women voters, it has promised 50 per cent subsidy to working women to buy scooters, raising financial assistance for pregnant ladies to Rs 18,000 among others.

At Jayalalithaa’s campaign rally in Perundurai, Thursday. (Source: PTI) At Jayalalithaa’s campaign rally in Perundurai, Thursday. (Source: PTI)

Ahead of the general election in 2014, the party laid out a manifesto and promised to extend its popular welfare schemes like giving away of free grinders, mixies, laptops, milch cows and goats, etc to the people. It also promised creation of around 10 crore jobs to tackle the menace of unemployment.

For the people of Tamil Nadu, a bouquet of freebies is not a new thing as free electricity to the farmers was reportedly given by AIADMK in the 1980s. In 1967, DMK had promised 3 kg rice for only Re 1.

A comparison between 2011 and 2016 manifesto:

With some fresh welfare schemes announced by the party this year, there has also been an expansion of the older policies that were announced in previous elections in 2011.

While the financial assistance promised to pregnant women in 2011 was Rs 12,000, it has now been raised to Rs 18,000. In addition, the period of maternal leave promised has been extended to nine months in comparison to four months in the past.

It has also promised 8 gram of gold as marriage assistance for the public which is double of what was promised during 2011 elections.

For the poor fishermen, the party had announced a financial assistance of Rs 4,000 in 2011 which has not been increased to Rs 5,000 as per 2016 manifesto.

Jayalalitha and AIADMK supporters attending a rally Jayalalitha and AIADMK supporters attending a rally

A look at promises made by AIADMK and Jayalalitha over the years:

2011 elections

Free mixies and grinders to women were announced by Jayalalitha while campaigning for 2011 assembly polls in response to a similar announcement made by rival DMK. The DMK had promised either a mixer or a grinder for the women in state in response to which Jaya promised to give away both along with a fan to each woman.

In 2011, the party had also announced supply for 20 litre water and 20 kg free rice for the BPL families. However, the DMK had already promised 35 kg free rice in the past.

Apart from this, she also promised four free sets of uniforms and a pair of shoes for the school children. The promise of free laptops for the class 11, 12 and college students was also made in 2011.

Free houses of 300 sq ft to three lakh BPL families, 60,000 cows for 6,000 families and Rs 50,000 wedding assistance for women with diploma were also some of the policies that were announced.

Jayalalithaa along with her aide Sasikala waving at her supporters. PTI photo Jayalalithaa along with her aide Sasikala waving at her supporters. PTI photo

2006 elections

Similar string of freebies were offered to the voters during the election campaign of 2006 by the party. These included 10 kg free rice every month and the next 20 kg for only Rs 3.5 per kg.

In addition, four gram of gold for the ‘mangalsutra’ of poor women who were getting married and free laptops for students who pass 12th standard was also promised by Amma.

During the 2006 elections, AIADMK also did a lot of chest thumping for reportedly distributing around 5,00,000 bicycled to the students and promised to give away one to every student in the state.

Ahead of the elections in 2006, Jayalalitha announced a free textbook scheme for students of government-run and government-aided schools in the state.

There have been various other schemes and promises offered by both the AIADMK and DMK in Tamil Nadu over the years. The debt for Tamil Nadu has reportedly gone up by 80 per cent in the last five years and the state has gone into a revenue deficit. However, despite this, the ‘welfare schemes’ and ‘freebies’ continue to flow ahead of every election to woo the people.

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