COIMBATORE: Tailoring his campaign for the western belt, where weavers, small industrial units, and farmers form the main voter bloc, TVK president C Joseph Vijay unveiled a series of election promises for them, including scrapping peak-hour power tariff, Rs 15,000 crore State Credit Guarantee Fund, 100 per cent electricity tax exemption for five years, and 35 per cent capital subsidy up to Rs 50 lakh per unit for modernisation for the MSME sector.
Addressing a large gathering at Perumanallur in Tirupur, Vijay announced that a TVK government would create a State-owned global e-commerce brand to enable weavers to sell their products in international markets. He also promised exclusive retail showrooms in major cities.
To ease financial stress, every family in the handloom and powerloom sector would receive Rs 30,000 annually; free electricity would be increased to 500 units for handlooms and 1,500 units for powerlooms; and 50 per cent subsidy on yarn, dyes and chemicals. Additional measures include Rs 10 lakh life insurance cover for weavers and an increase in monthly pension to Rs 3,000.
Some of the relief measures for farmers include a full loan waiver for farmers owning less than five acres and 50 per cent loan waiver for those owning more than five acres, minimum support price (MSP) of paddy hiked to Rs 3,500 per quintal and Rs 4,500 for one tonne of sugarcane.
The TVK leader said his government would review the restoration of the old pension scheme and regularise temporary staff including teachers, nurses and clerical workers, who have served for over five years. For police personnel, he promised to increase the salary from Rs 18,200 to Rs 25,000, additional Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for high stress duties, and better working conditions for women personnel, including mobile toilets.