Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday announced the first phase of the party's poll promises for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections.

The AIADMK's election promises include the Women's Welfare Kulavilakku Scheme, under which a monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,000 will be provided to all ration card-holding families, credited directly to the bank account of the woman head of the family.

A free bus travel scheme will be implemented for men on city buses, while the existing free travel scheme for women will continue uninterrupted.

Under the Amma Illam Scheme in rural areas, the government will purchase land and construct concrete houses for those who do not own one. In urban areas, for those without a house of their own, the government will purchase land and construct apartment buildings, which will be provided free of cost under the Amma Illam Scheme.

While the Union Government has announced an increase in the 100-day employment scheme to 125 days, this rural development scheme will be further enhanced to provide 150 days of employment.

Additionally, under the Amma Two-Wheeler Scheme, 5 lakh women will receive two-wheelers with a government subsidy of Rs 25,000 per beneficiary.

Earlier in the day, Palaniswami and senior party leaders paid floral tributes to the statue of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at the AIADMK party office in Chennai and distributed sweets to the people gathered there.

The AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is aiming to reclaim power in the state after losing the 2021 Assembly elections. Despite a subdued performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK has renewed its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after severing ties in 2023.

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Meanwhile, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is seeking to retain power and is entering the electoral contest with confidence following its strong performance in the 2024 parliamentary polls.

Tamil Nadu is scheduled to hold elections in the first half of this year.