Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Vijay on Sunday unveiled a comprehensive 10-point youth agenda, positioning it as a “guarantee” to transform opportunities for young people if Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) comes to power in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at a well-attended event in Nungambakkam, Vijay described the proposals as a direct social contract with the state’s youth. “This is not just a promise, this is TVK’s guarantee… your brother Vijay’s guarantee,” he said, signalling a strong focus on employment, education, and governance reforms amid growing concerns over job scarcity.
A key highlight of the agenda is the promise to create a “drug-free Tamil Nadu”. Vijay proposed stringent laws to curb the inflow and use of narcotics, alongside community-driven initiatives such as anti-drug clubs in schools and colleges to raise awareness and enable prevention at the grassroots level.
On education, the TVK chief announced an “Education Guarantee Scheme” that will provide collateral-free loans of up to Rs 20 lakh for higher studies, ensuring that no student is forced to drop out due to financial constraints. He emphasised that education must remain accessible regardless of economic background.
Addressing unemployment, Vijay proposed a Tamil Nadu Recruitment Accountability and Transparency Act to introduce a fixed annual calendar for government hiring, with all appointments to be completed within one year. Until then, financial support will be provided to job seekers — Rs 4,000 per month for graduates and Rs 2,500 for diploma and ITI holders above the age of 25.
The agenda also includes a large-scale internship programme covering five lakh youth annually, offering stipends of Rs 10,000 for graduates and Rs 8,000 for diploma holders. To encourage entrepreneurship, the party plans to extend collateral-free loans of up to Rs 25 lakh and introduce a “Tamil Employment Credit System” to incentivise companies that hire at least 75 per cent of their workforce locally.
In governance, Vijay proposed appointing youth as “Chief Minister’s People Service Associates” in local bodies, with a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000, to improve last-mile service delivery. A Youth Advisory Council will also be constituted to ensure direct participation of young people in policymaking.
Additionally, a “Creator-preneur” initiative aims to support 1.5 lakh youth with seed capital, while establishing 500 specialised schools across the state.
“Every announcement is aimed at securing the future of Tamil Nadu’s youth,” Vijay said, underscoring his party’s youth-centric political pitch ahead of the Assembly elections.
(IANS)
