AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran slammed the new TVK government's order for 200 units of free electricity bimonthly, accusing CM Vijay of breaking the election promise of providing the same benefit per month, calling it a "continuation of the DMK".
Dhinakaran Slams TVK's 'Broken Promise'
AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday slammed the newly formed TVK government for providing 200 units of free electricity for two months and not per month as allegedly promised in the party's election manifesto, calling it the "continuation of DMK government."
The newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay, signed his first major government order (GO) earlier in the day, according to which eligible domestic consumers with a bimonthly consumption of up to 500 units will receive a total of 200 units of free electricity bimonthly.
Criticising the order, Dhinakaran asserted that the TVK promised 200 units of free electricity "every month to eligible households" and is now "contradictory to the earlier promise."
In a post on X, Dhinakaran questioned the Chief Minister Vijay-led government for deviating from the promise made during elections, on the "very first day of coming to power." Accusing TVK of following the DMK's footsteps in making false promises, Dhinakaran urged the government to amend the order and provide the promise of 200 units of free electricity per month.
"After announcing in the election manifesto that 200 units of free electricity would be provided per month, are they now announcing free provision for two months? - The TVK government must come forward to fully implement what is included in the election manifesto. Prior to the assembly elections, in the election manifesto released, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which promised that 200 units of electricity would be provided free of charge every month to eligible households, has now announced on the very first day of coming to power that 200 units of electricity will be provided free for two months, which appears contradictory to the earlier promise," he wrote in the post, sharing an image of the TVK manifesto promising 200 units of free electricity every month.
"This government must also be viewed as a continuation of the DMK government, which was based on making promises lavishly during elections as they came to mouth, and refusing to implement them immediately after assuming power. Therefore, I urge the TVK government to amend the order stating that 200 units of electricity will be provided free of charge to families using up to 500 units for two months, and to fulfill the election promise of 200 units of free electricity per month. @TVKVijayHQ @TVKPartyHQ @CMOTamilnadu," he added.
Details of the Government's Electricity Order
This comes after the state government said that eligible domestic consumers with a bimonthly consumption of up to 500 units will receive a total of 200 units of free electricity bimonthly, under this provision, effective from today.
Meanwhile, for those consuming more than 500 units bimonthly, the existing tariff structure remains in place, which includes the previous benefit of 100 units of free electricity bimonthly.
Funding and Implementation
To fund this program, the government will bear an additional tariff subsidy of Rs.1,730 crore per annum. Initially, the expenditure will be met via an advance from the Contingency Fund pending legislative approval. It will later be included in the Revised Budget Estimate for 2026-27 as a "New Service".
The state government has designated the Chief Electrical Inspector as the "Estimating, Reconciling, and Controlling" authority for the new heads of account associated with this subsidy.
The sanctioned amount will not be paid in cash but will be processed as a contra credit to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board deposits, the government order stated.
The order further stated that specific commitments under section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003, are being issued separately to formalise the requirement.
Vijay Begins Tenure as Chief Minister
The announcement from Tamil Nadu came just hours after the actor-turned-politician took the oath of office as the state's 13th Chief Minister at Fort St. George, marking the official commencement of what he calls the era of "real, secular, and social justice."
Meanwhile, pictures of Chief Minister Vijay have been placed in the Tamil Nadu Secretariat after he assumed charge this morning. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)