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Voters in Tamil Nadu were rewarded on day one of the new AIADMK government when Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced a cooperative loan waiver for small farmers and 100 units free power for households, among other sops.
She also took the first step towards total prohibition in the State by signing an order to close down 500 liquor shops and curtail the operating hours of the rest by two hours. Liquor stores will now be open from 12 pm to 10 pm instead of 10 am to 10 pm. The number of liquor shops run by the public sector Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd, the monopoly agency for procurement and marketing of liquor, will now come down to 6,300.
Prohibition emerged as a major poll promise by all political parties. While most promised total prohibition from day one, Jayalalithaa took a more moderate stance stating she would implement it in stages. Liquor accounts for close to about ₹30,000 crore — about one-third — of the State’s revenue.
On Monday, Jayalalithaa was sworn in along with a 28-member Cabinet by Governor K Rosaiah. The cooperative crop loans, medium- and long-term loans waived for small farmers total about ₹5,780 crore.
The supply of 100 units of free power to households will add ₹1,607 crore in tariff subsidy. According to official estimates, this amount will add to the current year’s estimated subsidy of ₹7,370 crore.
Jayalalithaa also announced 200 units of free power to handloom weavers and 750 units for power looms.
Wedding assistance Under an ongoing wedding assistance scheme for the poor, free gold to brides has been doubled to 8g for making a ‘mangalsutra’. The cash assistance of ₹50,000 to brides with a graduate degree or diploma and ₹25,000 for others will continue.
According to estimates that the previous AIADMK government had tabled earlier this year, the total subsidies and transfers amount to ₹62,382 crore in 2016-17, against the revised estimates of ₹59,741 crore for 2015-16.
Team Jayalalithaa
Jayalalithaa - Chief Minister; Minister in charge for Public, IAS, IPS, IFS, General Administration, District Revenue Officers, Police and Home
O. Panneerselvam - Finance, Personnel and Administrative Reforms
Dindigul Srinivasan - Forest
Edappadi K. Palaniswami - Highways, Public works, and minor ports
Sellur K. Raju - Cooperation and labour
Thangamani - Electricity, prohibition and excise
V.P. Velumani - Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Implementation of Special Programme
D. Jayakumar - Fisheries
C.Ve. Shanmugam - Law, Courts and Prisons
K.P. Anbazhagan - Higher Education
Dr. V. Saroja - Social Welfare, Nutritious Noon Meal Programme
K.C. Karuppannan - Environment
M.C. Sampath - Industries
R. Kamaraj - Food, Civil Supplies and HR&CE
O.S. Manian - Handlooms and Textiles
Udumalai Radhakrishnan - Housing and Urban Development
C. Vijayabhaskar - Health and Family Welfare
S.P. Shanmuganathan - Milk and Dairy Development
R. Duraikannu - Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
Kadambur Raju - Information and Publicity
R.B. Udayakumar - Revenue
K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji - Rural Industries
K.C. Veeramani - Commercial Taxes
P. Benjamin - School Education, Sports and Youth Welfare
Vellamandi N. Natarajan - Tourism
S. Valarmathi - Backward classes and minority welfare
V.M. Rajalakshmi - Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare
Dr. M. Manikandan - Information and Technology
M.R. Vijayabhaskar - Transport
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