Rs 10,000 Cash Aid, Free LPG, Loan Waivers...: AIADMK Unveils 297 Promises Ahead Of TN Polls

Chennai: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Wednesday unveiled a 45-page manifesto packed with welfare measures, subsidies and structural reforms, setting the tone for a high-stakes electoral battle in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026.

Polling for all 234 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 23, with results to be declared on May 4, as announced by the Election Commission on March 15. The tenure of the incumbent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government ends on May 10.

The manifesto, comprising 297 poll promises and released under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami, reflects a mix of direct cash transfers, populist welfare schemes, sectoral interventions and governance reforms, underscoring the party’s attempt to consolidate its traditional support base while expanding its appeal among women, youth, farmers and the urban middle class.

Cash transfers and household relief

At the heart of the AIADMK’s pitch is a Rs 10,000 one-time financial assistance to every family to offset inflation and rising taxes, a move aimed at immediate economic relief.

The party has also promised to double the monthly entitlement for women to Rs 2,000, positioning it as a minimum income support mechanism for households. Additionally, the manifesto proposes:

• Monthly unemployment assistance: Rs 2,000 for graduates and Rs 1,000 for those with schooling up to Class 12.
• Enhanced pensions: Social security pensions raised to Rs 2,000 for elderly, widows and differently-abled persons.
• Rs 12,000 assistance for fishermen during ban periods.

Subsidies, freebies & cost-of-living measures

The manifesto doubles down on the AIADMK’s legacy “Amma” welfare model with a range of subsidies and in-kind benefits:

• Three free LPG cylinders annually for ration card holders.
• Free refrigerator for families to reduce household burden.
• Free dal and cooking oil along with rice through PDS.
• Deepavali gifts: Sarees for women and dhotis for men.
• Pongal cash gift of Rs 1,000 alongside hampers.
• In a significant expansion of public transport benefits, the party has promised free bus travel for men, extending a scheme currently available only to women.

Housing, urban relief and social schemes

Housing remains a major pillar, with the proposed ‘Amma Illam Scheme’ promising free houses for the homeless in rural areas and multi-storey apartments in cities.

The party has also proposed:

• Rental housing schemes for middle-class families in cities.
• Waiver of penalties on cooperative housing loans.
• Old-age homes in every district.
• Targeted schemes for vulnerable groups include housing and livelihood support for transgender persons and increased benefits for the differently-abled.

Agriculture and rural economy push

The AIADMK has outlined an extensive roadmap for agriculture, promising:

• MSP of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy
• Crop loan waivers through cooperative institutions
• Subsidies up to Rs 15,000 per hectare for inputs
• Reduced insurance premium burden on farmers

The manifesto also emphasises strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations, building storage and cold chain infrastructure, and promoting value addition and agri-based industries.

Water resource management features prominently, with promises of river-linking projects, irrigation expansion and restoration of water bodies.

Jobs, industry & economic growth

In a bid to address unemployment, the party has promised to:

• Fill lakhs of government vacancies.
• Provide collateral-free loans up to Rs 25 lakh for youth entrepreneurship.
• Mandate 75% jobs for locals in private sector firms.

Industrial vision

• A $1 trillion Tamil Nadu economy target.
• Biannual Global Investors’ Meets.
• Creation of industrial corridors and tech hubs.
• Expansion of MSME support systems.
• Special emphasis has been placed on decentralised industrial growth, particularly in southern districts.

Education, healthcare & social infrastructure

The manifesto promises to expand access and quality in education and healthcare:

• Increase medical reservation for government school students to 10%.
• Introduce AI and computer science in school curriculum.
• Establish 10 international-standard universities.
• Reopen Amma Mini Clinics.
• Full government coverage for major treatments like cancer and heart surgery.
• Expansion of IVF and cancer treatment facilities.

Women-centric schemes

• Monthly income support.
• Subsidies for entrepreneurship.
• Expansion of self-help groups into economic units.
• Working women’s hostels and enhanced safety measures.

Sharp attack on DMK

The manifesto targets the ruling DMK, accusing it of corruption, fiscal mismanagement and “deceptive politics”.

The AIADMK has positioned itself as a pro-poor alternative, invoking the legacy of its leaders MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa and promising to “restore” governance aligned with welfare and development.

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