Our govt delivered 202 pre-poll promises in just 4 months: Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Saturday that his government had delivered 202 of the 505 promises made before the assembly polls.

“Of the 505 promises, 202 assurances were delivered by my government within four months. Of all the governments in the Indian subcontinent, such a pace of implementation can only be attributed to the DMK government,” Stalin said in a video message posted on Twitter, adding that the achievement should not be viewed as a momentary acceleration.

The chief minister also said he will meet people every three months with a list of achievements, to inform them about his government’s progress.

“This is how we perform and will continue to do so, every single day. Will meet you once every three months to let you know of the progress we made with the list of achievements,” Stalin said.

The CM said he will not take people for granted. “It is you and my conscience that drives me. You order. I am waiting to deliver,” he said.

Stalin said he became CM because of the people. “Each and every vote that was cast, serve as a strong base for me to be in Fort St. George. Each one of you cast your votes with the belief that we will always keep up our promises. We will always deliver the best of services to our people,” he said.

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Stalin listed some of his government’s achievements and said that on May 7, within a few hours of assuming office, he had signed five important files, including the COVID-19 relief package of ₹4,000 for all 2.09 crore rice ration cardholders, reduction of Aavin milk prices by ₹3 per litre, free bus rides for women in government buses, and formation of a new department: ‘Chief minister in your constituency,’ to act upon public grievances.

Stalin said that the first four out of five promises were part of DMK’s election manifesto. He also said that beside this, a separate budget was presented for agriculture, for the first time, to safeguard the interests of farmers and to improve agricultural production. “Loans amounting to ₹2,756 crore lent to women self-help groups through Cooperative Credit Societies were waived, jewel loans lent through Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies were waived,” he added.

Reduction of petrol prices by three rupees per litre, reviving and implementing Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (Anna Renaissance Scheme) in rural areas on an estimated budget of ₹1,200 crore, reviving and implementing the Namakku Naame Thittam with the support of local communities on an outlay of ₹100 crores, cash awards for Olympic medal winners, were among the promises fulfilled.

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Apart from passing resolutions against Centre’s new farm laws and CAA in the assembly, and exemption from NEET, the government announced ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh for the families of doctors who lost their lives during COVID-19 treatment efforts, ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh for families of police officials and personnel who lost their lives during the COVID-19 frontline efforts, and enhancing quota for women in government employment to 40 percent, among others.

Initiatives which were not part of the DMK’s manifesto, including 7.5 per cent reservation for students from government schools on preferential basis in all professional courses, total fee waiver for beneficiaries of this reservation, free travel scheme in government buses extended to transgenders and differently abled, and five lakh rupees fixed deposit for the children orphaned due to COVID-19 pandemic, were also delivered. Stalin said that his government not only did what they ‘had said’, but also did what they ‘had not said.’

(With inputs from Agencies)