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The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Sunday promised total prohibition, setting up a Lok Ayukta, a cut in state-run Aavin Milk price by Rs 7 a litre, revival of the Legislative Council, and implementation of the Sethusamudram project in its manifesto for the May 16 Assembly polls.
DMK did not, however, announce any populist freebie schemes on the scale of free colour televisions it had made in 2006, though it promised a slew of concessions and waivers, catering to various sections of people.
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These include mobile phones for the poor at government expenditure, free Wi-Fi Internet for students, waiver of crop and educational loans, inclusion of free milk in the nutritious meal scheme, and Rs 60,000 assistance to women for marriage.
Currently, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government provides Rs 50,000 assistance and gold for mangalsutra.
DMK said it would dismantle TASMAC shops, which sell alcohol in the state. About 6,700 shops across the state generate around Rs 26,000-crore revenue. The party said employees of the state-run liquor outlet would be provided alternative employment.
The party also promised to waive loans of farmers and micro, small and medium entreprises completely, and said it would pay Rs 3,500 for a tonne of sugarcane.
It assured 'Anna (the name of DMK founder C N Annadurai) Unavagam," in place of Amma Unavagam, a chain of state-run canteens.
Releasing the manifesto, M Karunanidhi attacked AIADMK chief and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa over her promise of implementing prohibition in a phase manner and dismissed it as "deceitful". He said Tamil will be introduced as "co-official language" in central government offices too in Tamil Nadu and there would be a separate budget for agriculture.
