Expressing concern over the spate of freebies promised by the two main political fronts in their election manifestos, the Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations has observed that such offers and schemes should only be for the poor and needy for their socio-economic uplift. Providing freebies indiscriminately would not be good for society.
When given to the undeserved, such schemes would not only go waste but also breed corruption. Such populist announcements, along with the cash for vote strategy, were being used by political parties to lure gullible voters, said a resolution adopted at a meeting of the central committee of the federation held here recently.
The meeting was chaired by M.Sekaran, president.
One of the major reasons for political parties to adopt such strategies was the indifference of neutral voters. The socially aware should shed their indifference and exercise their franchise to put an end to such practices, it said.
The meeting also called upon the neutral voters to support candidates who come forward to fulfil the city's requirements in terms of infrastructure development such as upgradation of the Tiruchi Government Medical College Hospital on a par with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, construction of a check dam across the Cauvery river near Mutharasanallur to protect the city's drinking water requirements, improving amenities in the newly added residential colonies and upgradation of Corporation high schools into higher secondary schools and improve their standards on a par with private schools.
Condemning the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation decision to spare Chennai from load shedding, the federation demanded that the Corporation be made to treat all consumers across the State on an equal footing.
Listing out some of the expectations of the people, in view of the elections, the federation said quality rice should be supplied under the public distribution system and the shortcomings in the system should be rectified.
Government hospitals should be modernised and should provide quality treatment to the standards of private hospitals. The prices of construction material should be brought under control and the shortcomings in the social security schemes should be rectified to ensure that the benefits of the schemes reached the needy.
