Kamal's poll promises to women: Skill building, jobs for single moms

As promised, actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), has kept women in the priority list of its seven-point manifesto, released ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly polls.

The manifesto, which focuses on women, youth and sports development seeks to create 50 per cent representation for women in all uniformed sectors. Promising to provide education, skill-building, employment and socio-economic support to single mothers, the manifesto also seeks to build hostels in every district to provide free emergency overnight stay for women, as well as launching a helpline (181) to register complaints of women in distress.

While releasing his party’s manifesto on Wednesday, Kamal said the party is committed to ensuring “dignity and recognition of homemakers”.

Distribution of sanitary napkins for teenage girls and both urban and rural women with poor financial backgrounds through Public Distribution System (PDS); establishment of a rural bank meant for women and run by women in every district; building infrastructure for women in public spaces like bus stands and free gynaecological health check-up every six months are some of the other promises that the party makes in its manifesto.

The manifesto also assures to create 50 lakh jobs if it comes to power, and says there will be guaranteed jobs within 100 sq km of one’s pin code.

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Tamil Nadu will vote on April 6 to elect its representatives to the Assembly. The results will be declared on May 2.

MNM is part of the third front consisting of actor-politician Sarathkumar’s AISMK and Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK) with Kamal being its chief ministerial candidate.

Kamal, who will fight the polls from Chennai, once MG Ramachandran’s fort, for a long time has been pitching for an increased economic security and empowerment of women in the state, including giving a salary to housewives whose labour often go unrecognized.