CM EPS announces welfare schemes, closure of 500 TASMAC shops

Chennai: The new AIADMK government headed by CM Edappadi Palaniswami announced several welfare schemes, aimed at fulfilling late CM J Jayalalithaa's promises before the 2016 Assembly polls. Important announcements made by EPS were grant of Rs 20,000 subsidy to one lakh working women every year for the purchase of mopeds or scooters and the closure of 500 more liquor shops.

The assistance under the Dr. Muthulakhsmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme would be increased from Rs. 12,000 to 18,000; 5,000 houses to be constructed for the fisher folk, at a cost of 1.7 lakh per house; and unemployment doles for 55,230 youths would be doubled, EPS said.

The closure of 500 more liquor shops would result in a loss of approximately ₹1,000 crore, about five per cent of the annual revenue that comes from sale of liquor. The revenue from the TASMAC shops this year could be Rs 24,000 crore.

On the issue of compensation to families of farmers who had died following crop failure, Palaniswami said he would disclose the action to be taken shortly.

For working women, the scheme on subsidy for purchase of mopeds or scooters, to be implemented by the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women from next year, could be a big boon. The grant would be a maximum of Rs 20,000 or 50 per cent subsidy, whichever was lower. It would cost the exhequer Rs 200 crore a year.

Rs 85 crore would be spent on the housing scheme for fishermen through the Rural Development Department.

On the hike in unemployment allowance, EPS said the amount would be raised from Rs 100 to 200 for those who did not pass the 10th standard examination; from Rs 150 to 300 for those who have passed the 10th standard; and from Rs 200 to 400 for those who did not pass the 12th standard examination; and from Rs 300 to 600 for graduates and post-graduates.