TN govt rolls out Pongal cash gift of Rs 3,000 for rice ration card holders
Cash will be accompanied by gift hamper of rice, sugar and sugarcane; the gifts, at combined expenditure of Rs 6,936.17 cr, come weeks ahead of Assembly polls
The Tamil Nadu government has announced a cash gift of Rs 3,000 for all rice ration card holders and families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps to mark the Pongal festival. Chief Minister MK Stalin issued the order on Sunday (January 4). Pongal this year falls on January 15.
The announcement comes weeks ahead of Assembly elections, where the Stalin-led DMK is engaged in a pitched battle with the AIADMK-BJP combine and actor-politician Vijay's TVK.
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Earlier, Stalin had announced a Pongal gift hamper for all rice ration card holders and Sri Lankan Tamil families living in rehabilitation camps. The hamper includes 1 kg of raw rice, 1 kg of sugar and a full-length sugarcane. Over 2 crore rice card holders and camp residents are projected to benefit across the state.
Combined expenditure
The combined expenditure for the Pongal gift hamper and the cash assistance amounts to Rs 6,936.17 crore, said a statement from the state Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
All Pongal gift hampers have already been dispatched to districts across Tamil Nadu. The government has also ensured that the cash assistance, gift hampers and token items are distributed through fair price shops ahead of the festival, it added.