Tamil Nadu’s election battlefield is getting ready for the face off on April 18. With the filing of nominations set to begin on March 19, most political parties have finalised the allocation of constituencies and are lining up to announce their candidates. Tamil Nadu will witness a face-off between the DMK-led Secular Democratic Front, and the NDA which the AIADMK has joined. Also part of the NDA this time around is the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which released its election manifesto on Friday.
The 94-page manifesto was released in Chennai by PMK founder S Ramadoss in the presence of other leaders of the party including Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, GK Mani and AK Moorthy.
The manifesto speaks about a large range of topics including school education, support for unemployed population, release of Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts etc.
Here are the big promises of the PMK in their manifesto:
Total prohibition. 100% duty on tobacco products.
Make parental consent mandatory for any couple under 21 years of age.
Financial assistance to farm labourers and not just landed farmers.
Linking of Cauvery and Godavari rivers under complete funding from the Centre.
Nationalising all inter-state rivers.
Stopping all hydrocarbon projects planned in the Cauvery delta basin.
Education and four other topics from the concurrent list to be brought to the state list.
Remove upper ceiling on reservation. Caste-based reservation proportional to population on the basis of 2021 census.
Reservation in private sector industries, courts, IIT, IIM, JIPMER, AIIMS etc.
50% reservation for state-residents in middle-level non-transferable jobs in central government organisations.
Law making it compulsory for private organisations in the state to allocate 80% jobs to the youth of that particular state.
Comprehensive health scheme similar to the NHS in United Kingdom.
National Cancer Centre in Chennai at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
Unemployment assistance of Rs 4,000 per month for graduates who have been unemployed for five years.
Press for the release of convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
Strive to bring in ballot paper model of voting in India.
Support and propose music composer Ilaiyaraaja’s name for Bharat Ratna award.