 "BJP also promises liquor prohibition in Tamil Nadu in election vision document")
Following the promises of the major Dravidian parties to implement complete prohibition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also came out with its election manifesto, which is termed as election vision document, promising immediate prohibition of liquor if the party comes to power in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.
Releasing the party's manifesto, which it projects as a vision document, Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways also listed the projects the centre has initiated in the State, of a total size of around Rs 83,000 crore.
The document said that the revenue from TASMAC, the state-owned liquor wholesale and retail seller, was around Rs 140 crore in 1983-84, which has grown up to Rs 29,672 crore now.
While prohibition will reduce this revenue from the State's balance sheet, it could be compensated by allowing 10 per cent ethanol blending with petrol in the State and the molasses used in manufacturing alcohol could be used in manufacturing this ethanol, which would help the sugar cane farmers, said H Raja, the BJP national leader who headed the committee which prepared vision document.
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It may be noted that the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and it's allies in People's Welfare Front (PWF) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has earlier said that they will implement prohibition in the State if they come to power. While AIADMK said it will implement prohibition in a phased manner, DMK said it will do away with the liquor business immediately. With the announcement of BJP, the state is on the way to complete prohibition in any way, if the promises are implemented, since all the parties has offered to implement prohibition.
Addressing the party workers, Gadkari said that using ethanol fuel ed vehicles could bring down the high import of crude and would be a good opportunity for the ailing sugar industry and the sugar cane farmers. He said that under his advise, the Indian Space Research Organisation has come forward with developing cheaper batteries for vehicles instead of the lithium ion battery and this would bring down the cost of transportation.
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The central government is keen on agriculture and infrastructure development in the country and has several projects in these segments in Tamil Nadu, he said.
"I have a list of projects we are implementing in Tamil Nadu. The total size of projects we are working on in port and shipping sector alone would be Rs 82,941 crore for the next five years," he said.
He added that the usage of water ways for transportation would help to reduce the cost of transportation and out of the 111 rivers the government has decided to develop for inland waterways, five has completed preparation of detailed project report and another four are in the stage of preparing the reports. The government would take up Buckingham Canal project as part of this soon, but the State government has to support, which is not currently extending its support.
Echoing his fellow party men's opinion, he said that the government in Tamil Nadu is not approachable.
The BJP's vision document says that it would offer 20 litre drinking water purified through reverse osmosis will be supplied to every house every day. Under the Gold for Marriage scheme, eight gram gold will be given to each bride.
The document also promises taking over sand distribution and sales in the State, conservation of water by building one lakh check dams in five years and become power surplus in two years while at present the State produces only 13,000 MW out of the total demand of 15,196 MW, said Raja. The document also says that the its government, if comes to power, would set up Lok Ayukta, high standard education to schools, setting up of sports university and institutions.
Coming down heavily on the election promise of DMK to give temple land to the encroachers, the vision document said that those land would be saved by the government. It also promises job creation, support to various industries, among others.