Fulfilling some major electoral promises of the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday launched a host of schemes, including the free distribution of laptops to students of government and government-aided educational institutions and cattle to rural poor.
The other schemes pertained to the free distribution of food mixers, wet grinders and table-fans to women carrying rice-drawing family cards and special incentive to students of Std. X to Plus Two belonging to government and aided schools.
The allocation for the five schemes this year totalling Rs.2,747.04 crore included Rs.56 crore for milch cows; Rs.135 crore for goats/sheep; Rs. 394.04 crore for special incentive to school students; Rs.912 crore for laptops; and Rs.1,250 crore for electric fans, food mixers and wet grinders.
Addressing a function held in Kakkalur, 45 km from Chennai, on the 102{+n}{+d} birth anniversary of the former Chief Minister, C.N. Annadurai, Ms. Jayalalithaa referred to the criticism of the schemes in certain quarters. Some individuals had moved the Supreme Court seeking a ban on welfare measures, which they denigrated as freebies. “Those who know economics will not agree with the denigration of the schemes as freebies, as the welfare measures will raise the standards of living of the poor; enable all to get everything; and help the people to stand on their own and become economically well off.”
Referring to the cow scheme, Ms. Jayalalithaa explained that Jersey cross-breed cows being provided to beneficiaries would help increase milk productivity. As the production would go up manifold, the scheme would eventually usher in a ‘White Revolution.'
The goats/sheep scheme, she said, would pave the way for the poorest of the poor to come out of poverty and gain economic independence in a few years.
She said her government had been formulating schemes which would cater to individual requirements and facilitate human resource development and the economic growth of the State.
Referring to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi's criticism that she had placed in the Assembly statements under Rule 110 just to get commendation, Ms. Jayalalithaa said he had unwittingly acknowledged that all her announcements were meant for the welfare of people.
Finance Minister O. Paneerselvam and Electricity Minister Natham R. Viswanathan criticised Mr. Karunanidhi for the failure of his government on various fronts.
Assembly Speaker D. Jayakumar presided over the function.
The free distribution of Mixies, table fans, laptops for the college students to be downtrodden will definitely will help them in many ways, especially for the students to get more information at the world level, Jayalalitha will definitely fined a place in Central Government. Jayalalitha will become Deputy Prime Minister under the Premiership of Narendra Modi, as both are with the good intention to develop the country.
Chief Minister Jayalalitha has introduced innovative welfare schemes for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden by opening the Government treasury. To maintain equality and fairness to all, we now look forward to more such schemes for the lower and upper middle classes too - for instance fridge, washing machines, scooters and Nano cars for transportation and Mercedes Benz cars for the upper middle class with free petrol and power to run them.
Kudos to the CM for distributing free goats and cows, her vision of creating a white revolution and pulling people out of poverty through free goats are indeed noble dreams only Jayalalitha can dream off. Coming down to earth, has Jayalalitha put in place a mechanism to monitor how well these schemes are really benefitting the people, claiming to cause a white revolution and goats pulling people out of poverty need hard facts to ascertain results, otherwise the ignorant citizen of TN has to live with another politician who wasted tax payers money just to become a CM.
Every religion preaches work (dharma) as the highest form of living. . If people are poor we can help them by giving them jobs. Their exploitation can be removed by setting a decent minimum wage.Also the dignity of all labor should be taught to every child and individual All work is noble as it is service to the community and to society. The present tend of turning every kid into an IT worker has created a severe shortage of workers in all other departments. Kids may really want to do other things besides sitting in front of a computer all day, losing their eyesight, their physical fitness, and becoming old before their time. Ms Jayalalitha could also do away with nuclear power plants in Tamil Nadu for besides sitting on a Tsunami zone, Atomic heat will only drive local temperatures up to unbearable levels Mamata Banarjee has scrapped nuclear plants in her state- then why can't we? Alternate technologies are also labor intensive. Then maybe we could consider voting her for Prime Minister.
The so-called welfare scheme involving a state fund of Rs.2,747.04 crore is an indefensible election bribe. If the people of the State of Tamilnadu decline to condemn such unauthorized disbursement (not authorized by the elected LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES - it can not also be post facto), they deserve their corrupt politicians.
Whatever one may say, promising before elections all sorts of freebies and distributing them selectively certainly amounts to corrupt practices. In the name of welfare schemes politicians have no right to fritter away tax payers' money in dubious ways to further their political goals aims. Money in the government kitty should be spent wisely and prudently with utmost care.Money should be spent on welfare schemes only like better educational,drinking water, sanitation and educational facilities. Common people should not easily be deceived by the scheming politicians and fall prey to the highest bidder. Once a politician distributes some freebies to some people he favours he is sure not to come anywhere near them.
So people should shun them as if from plague. He is more likely to forget the voters who elected him or her. It is high time political awareness comes to our common people especially the downtrodden so that they are not cheated again and again.
Seriously? Food mixers, wet grinders and table-fans? Give us resources to help ourselves! Not cheap equipment that's going to break in a couple of years! How about clean air for a start? And non-pee-flooded roads? And how about handing out EXPENSIVE tickets to the ridiculous drivers who don't hesitate to run over me everyday. Focus, on governance.
Welfare schemes are certainly welcome; but, announcing ‘freebies’ as a ploy for getting votes is unethical. Promises of welfare measures and infrastructure developments, alleviation of poverty, upliftment of the down trodden, free education etc., etc. are legitimate strategies in an election campaign; but, trying to 'buy' voters with 'freebies' a term that denotes enticing the voters (like promising lollypops to the kids, as distinct from assuring healthy commitments to the voters), a strategy also employed by the DMK regime in the previous assembly election condemned by Jayalalitha herself as immoral, cannot become justified now. However; the 'freebies' of ADMK are much more purposeful as compared to the dubious and motivated schemes of DMK like the distribution of free TVs or kalaignar kappeetu thittam, that turned out to be solely to benefit the first family. The point to note is that the current regime should be consistent in its fulfillment of the voters’ legitimate aspirations.
What is the source of money for all these grand schemes. She has to explain the akshayapatra. Expanding debt, only will lead to inflation and further force TN into debt trap. It is high time, people should start reading Milton friedman to understand how governments destory currencies by inflation..
Of course these freebies should be banned. In the name of economic welfare, all that Ms. Jayalalithaa seems to be doing is gaining political mileage through this short term benefits. To really enable people to get out of poverty, she should think of some long term life sustenance methods provided in the form of employment and not such short term popularity gaining tactics.
Schemes that genuinely help the deserving are commendable, likes lap tops,cows, aid for subsidiary farming, improvement of mid-day meals scheme, ameliorating awful conditions in Govt. hospitals, s, and hostels for the under-privileged,aid for destitute senior citizen etc. It is wrong to designate schemes in the name of individuals, when things are done spending Government money and not from personal purses.
Let us hope greater equanimity and a better sense above self will dawn and prevail in future.
Let all these benefits first go to BPL families and then to others. Let it also be watched how many families keep them for themselves without selling/cashing it for lower prices.
The Dravida parties have bought the souls of the TN citizens by offering freebies. They have successfully introduced, nurtured and reinforced the "free entitlement" ethos of the Tamil people. One wonders at the sanity of leaders giving away free laptops while no efforts are made to ease the power shortage and power cuts. These leaders have failed to adopt the principles of micro-financing which enable people to rise out of property, create savings and above all, MAINTAIN THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY and SELF RESPECT.
In the name of Welfare Schemes, far too many freebies / subsidies are being given - pushing the Developement Schemes to the back burner ; any amount of freebies will not do as long as the Government, by running Tasmac Outlets, is ruining the future generations.This is not robbing Peter and paying Paul. This is robbing the people by one hand and patting the same people by the other hand.Annadurai,MGR,Rajaji and Kamaraj never encouraged the DRINKING SPREE as is being done now by the Government.
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