Chennai: PMK on Wednesday made slew of poll assurances including Rs 1 lakh worth benefits free for each family per year and free bus ride for all in Chennai if it is voted to power.
Releasing the party's draft manifesto for the 2016 Assembly election, party founder Dr S. Ramadoss said that each family would be able to save a maximum of Rs 1 lakh a year with everything required for education, healthcare and farming to be provided free.
“This can be considered as a freebie given by the government. The total cost of freebies like television, mixer, grinder and fan provided by both AIADMK and DMK governments will be about Rs 12,000 only.”
While the freebies provided by PMK government will be Rs 5 lakh in five years," Dr Ramadoss said. The party founder said PMK is proposing the scheme instead of freebies in order to create job and livelihood opportunities.
Ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for next year, the PMK on Wednesday made a slew of poll assurances, including Rs 1 lakh worth benefits free for each family per year and free bus rides for all in Chennai if it is voted to power.
Releasing the party’s draft manifesto for the 2016 Assembly election, party founder Dr S. Ramadoss said that each family would be able to save a maximum of Rs 1 lakh a year with everything required for education, healthcare and farming to be provided free.
“This can be considered as a freebie given by the government. The total cost of freebies like television, mixer, grinder and fan provided by both AIADMK and DMK governments will be only about Rs 12,000. While the freebies provided by the PMK government will be Rs 5 lakh in five years,” he said, noting that the PMK is proposing the scheme instead of freebies in order to create job and livelihood opportunities.
Ramadoss also announced that his party’s government would offer free bus ride in Chennai to increase patronage for public transport. “Number of buses plying in the city roads will be increased to 8,000. By such a measure, road congestion and pollution levels will come down. Considering these aspects, fares for bus services in the city will be scrapped and world-class bus service will be operated free of cost,” he said.
The draft manifesto released by PMK is the first of its kind in the state to debate on the assurances and get public opinion on it. He said his party chief ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss will be visiting all districts to gather public opinion before releasing the people’s manifesto by January 25.
When asked why his party was offering freebies after opposing it all along, Anbumani Ramadoss said his party was against unnecessary freebies provided by the government.
“We are providing only free services like education, health and transportation. We are not going to give them any items to take home. But we will provide all that is necessary for farmers to do agriculture,” he said. To a question on why free bus service was offered only in Chennai, he said it would be expanded to other cities later on.
