DMK promises waiver of crop loan availed by small & micro farmers

CHENNAI: The DMK proposes to waive the entire crop loan availed by small and micro farmers in Tamil Nadu, steps to be taken for waiver of all educational loans availed by students and extend the 100-day work to 150 days to farmers under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employent Guarantee Act, if voted to power in the May assembly polls.

Announcing many waivers, welfare schemes and administrative changes in the DMK's election manifesto released at the party headquarters on Sunday , the DMK chief M Karunanidhi said a law will be enacted for enforcing the prohibition of alcohol in Tamil Nadu.

Taking a dig at chief minister J Jayalalithaa who had vowed to impose prohibition in a phased manner during her campaign rally in Chennai on Saturday , Karunanidhi said, “We are not saying will bring in prohibition step by step because there are no steps in this. We are saying that we will bring back prohibition in Tamil Nadu.“

Currently , the state has a monopoly over liquor sales and liquor is retailed through Tamil Nadu state Marketing Corporation ( Tasmac) generating about a third of the state's revenues.

Considering the magnitude of the revenue generated through Tasmac, the incumbent AIADMK-led government had recently announced on the floor of the state assembly that it was impossible to impose prohibition.

The DMK said in its manifesto that if voted to power, the govern ment will formulate schemes to compensate the loss incurred by implementing prohibition.

Addressing farmers abundantly apart from loan waivers and exten sion of assured work, the manifes to promises to take action for pay ment of full amount for sugarcane supplied by sugarcane growers to sugar mills within three months from the date of delivery.

The manifesto addressed indus tries and entrepreneurs by stat ing that in order to ensure unin terrupted power supply to indus tries and industrial estates, dedi cated power lines will be established for them.

Entrepreneurs, who come for ward to start industries in Tamil Nadu will be given single-window clearance within 100 days.