Having won an easy but contentious trust vote, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami on Monday got down to work, ordering closure of 500 more liquor outlets and signing files for implementing a raft of populist schemes.
Keeping the promise made by chief minister the late J Jayalalithaa in the run up to the May 2016 assembly polls, Palaniswami announced closure of an additional 500 liquor vends, taking their number so far to 1000.
Jayalalithaa, who had won a rare consecutive term for the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam last year, had promised prohibition in a phased manner amid clamour for a complete liquor ban during the election campaign.
The announcement was made to honour Jayalalithaa's promise, he later told reporters.
State-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in the state. TASMAC fetches around Rs 26,000 crore annually from 6,300 odd liquor outlets.
Flanked by ministers in his cabinet, Palaniswami said he had also signed files for implementation of five welfare schemes, including those for women, unemployed youth and fishermen.
These schemes included raising the financial assistance under a maternity scheme from Rs 16,000 to Rs 18,000, providing 50 per cent subsidy to women buying two-wheelers, free housing for fishermen and increasing unemployment allowance to the young.
The chief minister ordered raising monthly assistance to unemployed youth from Rs 150 to Rs 300 (Class 10 completed), Rs 200 to Rs 400 (Class 12) and from Rs 300 to Rs 600 (graduates).
Rs 200 crore annually has been earmarked for the two-wheeler scheme, while Rs 85 crore will go towards the housing scheme, he said.
Palaniswami said all these schemes were in tune with the promises made by Jayalalithaa.
Jayalalithaa, who enjoyed an iconic status in the southern state, had launched a number of populist schemes, many of them carrying the brandname 'Amma', as she was popularly called, for public welfare.
'Amma laptop scheme', 'Amma canteens', 'Amma bottled water', 'Amma salt', 'Amma cement' and 'Amma mixer, grinder, table fan' schemes were implemented for various sections.
These Amma products were either for free or hugely subsidised. Funding these may have cost the state exchequer a bomb, but benefited a large section of the population and added to her popularity.
"With the blessings of honourable Amma (Jayalalithaa) and respected Chinnamma (VK Sasikala), I signed the files," Palaniswami, a Sasikala loyalist, said.
