No more free colour televisions in Tamil Nadu, says Jaya

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on scrapped yet another pet project of the previous DMK government, the free colour TV scheme. Only days after scrapping the Kalaignar Kappeetu Thittam (Kalaignar Insurance Scheme), Jaya alleged largescale corruption behind the free colour TV distribution and decided to scrap the scheme.

The free colour TV scheme was one of the most populist schemes in the DMK election manifesto in 2006 and DMK top brass strongly believed that the scheme had played a major role in their victory in the Assembly elections held that year. The party had assured to continue the scheme if they win back power in Tamil Nadu.

Jayalalithaa alleged that DMK introduced these populist schemes not for the welfare of the people but for the welfare of Karunanidhi's family. She said when the government handed over a Rs 2,265 worth colour TV to each household under the scheme, the people were shelling out Rs 4,000 crore per year for cable connections which was monopolised by Maran brothers.

After assuming power, Jayalalithaa has been cancelling all the pet projects of the former government.

Last week, she decided to do away with the housing and insurance scheme named after DMK head and former chief minister M Karunanidhi. She then decided not to form the Legislative Council, which was announced by DMK and also postponed the decision of the previous government to have uniform system of education in the state.