My b'day would be observed as poverty-eradiction day:Vijayakanth

Chennai, Aug 23 (UNI) Accusing the ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK of failing to eradicate poverty, despite being in power for several years, actor-politician and DMDK President Vijayakanth today announced that his birthday on August 26 would be observed as ''Poverty eradication day''.

In a statement here, he said poverty could be eradicated only by providing employment opportunities to the youth, but the two Dravidian parties, despite launching several five-year plans, failed to wipe out poverty.

He said the previous AIADMK regime, had launched a ten-year plan in 2002 to bring down the rate of poverty by ten per cent in 2007 and make the state poverty-free by the year 2012. But, the rate of poverty in the state had risen to 22 per cent in 2007, he charged.

Similarly, the DMK government has launched a 11-year-plan to bring down the rate of poverty to 17 per cent by 2012, he said, adding if the Jayalalithaa regime's plan comes to naught in 2012, the Karunanidhi government's plan would also become a day-dream, Vijayakanth said.

Both the governments, vied with each other, in announcing populist schemes, but never bothered to concentrate on developmental schemes, he charged. The low rate of growth in the state, compared to the all- India average was a classic example of this, he said.

Stating that it was the responsibility of people like him, to wipe out poverty, the actor-politician exhorted partymen to launch anti-poverty measures in their regions and create awareness on poverty eradication to mark his birthday.

They should organise free eye camps, blood donation camps,provide assistance for education, help disabled people and distribute clothes free of cost, he added.

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