Jaya announces more freebies after taking over as TN CM

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa, who bucked a 32-year trend to storm back to power for a second consecutive term, on Monday took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the sixth time at a function attended by DMK leaders, departing from the practice of rivals keeping away from each other’s swearing-in ceremony.

68-year-old Jayalalithaa, along with 28 others, including her trusted lieutenant O Pannerselvam, took the oath of office and secrecy in the name of God in Tamil that was administered by Governor K Rosaiah. Later on Monday evening, the Chief Minister inducted four more ministers, who will be sworn in on Wednesday, taking the size of the Cabinet to 32, the maximum permissible limit under norms. Minutes after she was sworn in, Jayalalithaa went about issuing a slew of orders aimed at fulfilling her electoral promises, including waiving crop loans of farmers, 100 free units of electricity to consumers, closing 500 liquor shops and giving free breakfast to children in government schools.

She also ordered increase in gold allocation to women and reducing the working hours of state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor outlets besides closure of 500 of its shops.

Jayalalithaa first signed a file ordering waiver of crop loans up to March 31, 2016, payable to co-operative banks. The waiver includes crop loan, medium and long term loans of small and micro farmers payable to co-operative banks. The decision would entail a financial burden of Rs 5,780 crore to the government. Showering freebies, she ordered 100 free units of power for consumers with effect from on Monday, a decision that would cost the state exchequer an additional Rs 1,607 crore. Jayalalithaa ordered closure of 500 state-run TASMAC retail liquor outlets and cut short the working hours of bars.