Jaya ridicules DMK chief's promise on land

Tirunelveli, Apr 10 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today ridiculed DMK President M Karunanidhi's poll promise of providing two acres of land each to the landless poor as 'absurd'.

The AIADMK supremo, who was on a whirlwind election campaign for the victory of the party-led Democratic People's Alliance (DPA) candidates, alleged the DMK chief was trying to 'cheat' the people by announcing that 55 lakh acre of wasteland available in the state would be distributed to the poor.

She said that only 3.5 lakh acre of wasteland, which were unfit for cultivation, were available at present.

All the cultivable wasteland available in the state had been distributed to the poor during the MGR period and during her earlier tenure between 1991 and 1996, she told reporters here.

Ms Jayalalithaa said the DMK chief should stop 'concocting' stories.

She pointed out that her government had implemented a land scheme for Adidravidar women, under which 50 per cent subsidy and 50 per cent bank loan would be provided to them.

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