DMK govt hoodwinking people:Jaya

Chennai, Aug 16: AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today charged the DMK Government with attempting to ''hoodwink'' people by announcing freebies without making adequate financial allocations.

Referring to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's Independence Day address yesterday, in which he announced free gas connections and gas stoves to the poor in keeping with his party's poll promise, she said after being silent for three months, the Government had made the announcement following questions from the Opposition.

However, the Government's announcements were mere ''eye wash'' as no adequate budgetary provision had been made for their proper implementation, she alleged.

Pointing out to Mr Karunanidhi's statement that free gas stoves and gas connections scheme would be implemented at a cost of Rs 150 crore, Ms Jayalalithaa said a minimum of Rs 1,500 would be required for each family, including Rs 1,000 for gas connection deposit and Rs 500 for the stove.

With the allocation of Rs 150 crore, only about 10 lakh families in the state would be benefitted while crores of families would be still using firewood and kerosene stoves, she said.

Ms Jayalalithaa criticised the Chief Minister for allocating a ''paltry'' Rs 110 crore for the scheme to extend monthly assistance to unemployed youth in the state.

This could benefit only about four lakh unemployed youth while 50 lakh had registered their names with the employment exchange, she said.

She said a monthly assistance of Rs 150, Rs 200 and Rs 300 announced on the basis of the educational qualification of the unemployed was insufficient.

UNI