TN CM announces 24-hour electricity for farmers, dubs DMK a 'corporate'

A farmer is the ChiefMinister and we are giving priority for agriculturalactivities, Palaniswami asserted, adding the government hasbeen extending support and help to farmers in several ways.The Chief Minister listed several initiatives of thegovernment in this western district such as setting up of aveterinary college, drainage and drinking water schemes andupgradation of primary health centres.Whatever may be the scheme announced, it is the Ammasgovernment led by me that immediately implements it.

Farmers would henceforth beprovided 24-hour-three phase electricity for their pump sets,Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced here onFriday.

Addressing an election rally at Udumalaipettai near here,Palaniswami, the AIADMK co-coordinator, also slammed the DMKas a 'corporate company.' The DMK had been servile towards the Centre when it waspart of various governments, he alleged hitting back at thearch rival for accusing his government of being subservient tothe BJP-led Centre.

Referring to a consultative meet he held with the farmersin this district on Thursday, he said they made a plea forthree phase power for agricultural pumpsets for 24 hours.

''Accepting their request, Amma's government would provide24-hour three phase power supply for pumpsets used byfarmers,'' he declared.

Currently, farmers get three phase electricity forpumpsets for about 12 hours in Cauvery delta districts and sixhours in non-delta regions in the state.

''This is a government of farmers. A farmer is the ChiefMinister and we are giving priority for agriculturalactivities,'' Palaniswami asserted, adding the government hasbeen extending support and help to farmers in several ways.

The Chief Minister listed several initiatives of thegovernment in this western district such as setting up of aveterinary college, drainage and drinking water schemes andupgradation of primary health centres.

''Whatever may be the scheme announced, it is the Amma'sgovernment led by me that immediately implements it. DMK isnot a political party. It is a corporate company in whichStalin is the chairman and his family members Udhayanidhi,Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi are the directors.'' Rubbishing DMK's accusation that his government wassubservient to the BJP-led central government, he said,''it iswrong.'' Hankering for power and office, it was only the DMKthat was servile when it was part of diverse dispensations for13 long years at the Centre, he alleged.

The AIADMK government supported the Centre only forprojects that benefited the people and opposed it whereverwarranted, he said and appealed to the people to vote for thetwo-leaves symbol of the party in the elections, expected tobe held in April.

He accused DMK chief M K Stalin and party Lok Sabha MPKanimozhi of false propaganda with an eye on the elections.

She has falsely claimed that the government'srejuvenation plan for waterbodies, 'Kudimaramathu' schemeremained only on paper, he said.

The reality was that 14,000 plus lakes and over 26,000other water bodies, including ponds, had been revived throughthe Public Works Department and local bodies respectively.

Palaniswami said Kanimozhi has been claiming falsely thatthe BJP-led Centre did no good for the state and asserted hisgovernment had been getting projects needed by the people.

He referred to sanction of 11 medical colleges,including one here, in the government sector from the Centre.

Mocking Stalin for collecting grievance petitions in a'box' from the public, he said such practices belonged to thepast and ''this is the age of science.'' Soon, people could callthe helpline number '1100' for getting all their grievancesredressed, he said.

Within ten days, the Chief Minister's Helpline andIntegrated Grievances Redressal Management Scheme, would belaunched, he said.

Also, officials across the state have already addressedgrievances in 5.25 lakh petitions out of the total 9.77 lakhrepresentations received, he said.

Interacting with members of Women's Self Help Groups atnearby Palladam, he said late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaaushered in 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies,fulfilling her poll promise.

Even during the coronavirus pandemic, the AIADMKgovernment facilitated credit through banks for WSHGs worthabout Rs 12,000 crore, he said.

Also, he pointed to the recent amendment in the assemblyto the Indian Penal Code for enhanced punishment for crimesagainst women and children and listed several other measuresfor their development.