Rs 1,000 monthly assistance for women to be implemented, says TN CM

An announcement on the ruling DMK's much touted monthly assistance scheme for each woman head of the family in Tamil Nadu will be made in the forthcoming state budget, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Saturday here.

Hitting the campaign trail for the February 27 Erode (East) bypoll on the last day of canvassing votes, Stalin, also the president of DMK, said his party never failed to execute its promises or announcements.

The DMK's poll promise of providing Rs 1,000 per month to every woman head of the family will certainly be implemented, he asserted in the wake of severe criticism from Opposition parties who have been questioning the government over the alleged delay in rolling out the initiative.

"The date of implementation (of this scheme) will be announced in the budget in March," Stalin said while canvassing votes for E V K S Elangovan, the Congress candidate fielded on behalf of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.

The CM said 85 per cent of the DMK's election promises have been implemented and the rest would be done by the end of this year.

In his address, he spoke extensively about the execution of developmental works and other schemes for the people, mainly the free travel concession to women in state-run buses, free breakfast to the students in government schools and free electricity to the farmers.

Seeking votes for Elangovan, the grandson of rationalist leader E V R Periyar, the Chief Minister recalled DMK founder late C N Annadurai and late party chief M Karunanidhi were associated with the Dravidian stalwart in Erode in 'Kudiyarasu' newspaper.

In some places, Stalin walked across to voters and sought support for Elangovan.

The bypoll result will be out on March 2.