Facing heavy criticism from the Opposition for his Minister’s reckless comments about the free bus travel scheme, the state government on Monday launched initiatives to popularise other flagship schemes of the DMK regime.

The state government on Monday launched an ad campaign using the MTC buses to popularise the Puthumai Penn Scheme (payment of Rs 1,000 per month to each girl student from government school pursuing higher education) and free breakfast scheme. To begin with, the government has launched 10 MTC buses on different routes in the city. The buses have been decorated with the images trumpeting the benefits of the two schemes.

The campaign has been launched in the backdrop of the ruling DMK being criticised for its Minister’s reckless statements about a scheme designed for women empowerment.

Even DMK insiders admitted on condition of anonymity that the campaign was intended to negate the negative impact even while popularising the two other schemes.

The free breakfast scheme is perceived as one of the pet projects of Chief Minister MK Stalin. Popularising the Puthumai Penn scheme, a revision of the free gold or thaali scheme of the AIADMK regime, would help blunt the criticism of the Opposition, said a ruling party leader on condition of anonymity.