'Freebies lifted living standard of women in Tamil Nadu'

MADURAI: Defending AIADMK's poll promises of freebies such as mixers and grinders, Tamil Nadu Minister K T Rajendra Balaji said the Jayalalithaa government's welfare schemes had lifted the living standard of women to some extent in the state.

Inaugurating the annual government exhibition here, the Information Special Programmes Minister said the freebies were meant to make the domestic work easy for women.

He also said the AIADMK government was mainly responsible for putting an end to politically-backed goondaism and rowdyism and land grabbing in the state.

"If people are able to live a peaceful life now, it is because of the AIADMK."

Cooperatives Minister Sellur K Raju said the power situation would improve throughout the state as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is taking various steps in this regard.

In a veiled reference to the sibling rivalry in the DMK, he said if former deputy chief minister M K Stalin was able to address a meeting in Madurai without fear, it was only due to the AIADMK's regime.

Earlier, even during the DMK rule, Stalin did not dare to address such meeting here, considered the fort of Union minister and his elder brother M K Alagiri, he said.