AIADMK woos labourers with Rs 2,000 cash assistance

Wooing labourers in the unorganised sector just ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the Tamil Nadu Government on Monday announced an assistance of Rs 2,000 this year for workers belonging to various sectors, including farming and fireworks, benefitting 60 lakh families across the state.

The ‘Special Financial Assistance’ is being extended to labourers cutting across sectors keeping in view damages caused by Cyclone Gaja and drought-like condition due to the failure of North-East Monsoon. The scheme will cost the exchequer Rs 1,200 crore and will benefit 35 lakh families in rural areas and 25 lakh families in urban areas.

Making an announcement in the Assembly under Rule 110, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said his government was committed to fulfilling the dream of late AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa who wanted the benefits of the economic development to reach every section of the society.

“Considering the sufferings of the people due to Cyclone Gaja and drought-like condition in several districts following failure of monsoon, the Tamil Nadu Government will provide a special financial assistance of Rs 2,000 this year to labourers which will benefit them and their families,” Palaniswami said in the statement.

Farm labourers, urban poor, fireworks’ workers, those involved in fishing, handloom and power loom workers, construction workers, sanitary workers and those involved in production of salt would be covered under the scheme. “The scheme will benefit 35 lakh poor families in rural Tamil Nadu and another 25 lakh families in urban Tamil Nadu. An allocation of Rs 1,200 crore will be made for the scheme,” Palaniswami said.

The scheme is being viewed as government’s efforts to woo people ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due in May, which the party is likely to face in an alliance with the BJP. The government had also announced that Rs 1,000 will be distributed to all families for Pongal, but the order was stayed by the Madras High Court which said the assistance can be given only to BPL families.

Political observer Sumanth C Raman says it is a welcome move that the government has begun to look at the needs and demands of those working in the unorganised sector.

“But handing out one-time financial assistance is not a permanent solution and it is not going to solve their problems. The government should find a long-term solution to solve their problems,” he said.