8 gm Free Gold to Married Women, Crop Loan Waiver: Jaya's Gift to TN

Chennai: Minutes after being sworn in as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for the second consecutive term, J Jayalalithaa swung into action and ordered a slew of measures in order to fulfil her electoral promises. She announced eight gram of gold for mangalsutra (chain worn by married women), waiving of crop loans of farmers and 100 units free electricity to consumers.

During the election campaign, Jayalalithaa has promised phased and complete prohibition in the state. Keeping up her promise, she reduced the working hours of state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor outlets besides closure of 500 of its shops. Now, the shops will be open from 12 noon to 10 pm instead of the 12 hour duration of 10 am to 10 pm till now.

Immediately after being sworn in, Jayalalithaa drove to Fort St George where the state Secretariat is located and signed files to fulfil five of her electoral promises as mentioned in her party manifesto. She first signed a file ordering waiver of crop loans upto March 31, 2016 payable to co-operative banks.

The waiver includes crop loan, medium and long term loans of small and micro farmers payable to co-operative banks and the move would entail a financial burden of Rs 5,780 crore on her government.

Jayalalitha's second order was 100 units of free power for domestic electricity consumers with effect from May 23 in tune with the present tariff computation. It would entail an additional payout of Rs 1,607 crore as grant to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) by thestate government.

Another order was for increasing gold allocation from 4 to 8 grams for women beneficiaries under the Thallikku Thangam Scheme (Gold for 'Mangalsutra'). From now on beneficiaries will get eight grams of gold in addition to monetary assistance of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.

The Chief Minister increased free power to handloom weavers to 200 units and for powerlooms to 750 units.

She ordered closure of 500 state-run TASMAC retail liquor outlets and cut short working hours of bars. With effect from Tuesday, the retail outlets and bars would function from noon to 10 pm which currently remain open between 10 am to 10 pm.

All measures are in tune with her electoral promises and she had said she would show her gratitude to the people through her work.

(With additional information from PTI)