DMK govt gave 1.5L free power connections in 2 years: Stalin

TRICHY: Chief minister M K Stalin made a strong pitch to woo the farming community of Cauvery delta region in Tamil Nadu, stating that the DMK government has provided 1.5 lakh free electricity connections to farmers in the last two years.
"The party which ruled Tamil Nadu for the last 10 years provided only 2.19 lakh free electricity connections to farmers, but the DMK government has provided 1.50 lakh free connections within two years after coming to power," Stalin said on Thursday, inaugurating a three-day agro expo titled 'Velaan Sangamam - 2023' in Trichy on Thursday.
Stalin also announced that since farmers have requested, the deadline for registration for the Kuruvai special package was being extended till August 15. The package contains free fertilisers for farmers who raise the short term 'kuruvai' paddy crop and financial assistance for purchase of agriculture tools.
The chief minister's bid to woo farmers as the Lok Sabha election fever is slowly catching in the state comes a day after the DMK held a meeting of 11,000 odd booth level agents of the party from across the delta region. Stalin chose central Tamil Nadu comprising the delta districts for the first such meeting, in the backdrop of opposition parties training their guns on the DMK over Mekedatu issue.
After handing over orders for free power connections to 12 farmers at the event, Stalin recalled that it was former chief minister M Karunanidhi who launched the free power connection scheme for agriculture in 1990. "50,000 additional electricity connections have been provided today," he said. Chief Minister also threw open various facilities including a convention hall, omni bus stand, solar power plant, upgraded municipal school, and Gandhi market built under smart city scheme at a cost of 133.58 crore in Thanjavur for public use.
Earlier, in a letter to cadres, Stalin alleged that DMK's political rivals are bent upon spreading false information about DMK government. Stalin said DMK's opponents were deliberately disseminating lies about DMK in Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. But lies are like moth, which have a short lifespan whereas truth is like an elephant which is stronger, Stalin said.