The DMK government has given a Pongal gift worth over ₹6,000 crore to the people of Tamil Nadu, with 2.22 crore families in the state receiving ₹3,000 in cash and a gift hamper.

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On the occasion of Pongal, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday launched a massive welfare scheme to provide cash and gift packs to 2.22 crore ration cardholders across the state. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin formally inaugurated the scheme at a ration shop in the Alandur area of Nazarethpettai, Chennai. Under the scheme, each beneficiary family will receive one kilogram of raw rice, one kilogram of sugar, one sugarcane stalk, and ₹3,000 in cash assistance.

How to get the Pongal gift?

According to officials, the distribution process began on Thursday, and beneficiaries can collect their Pongal packs from ration shops according to their designated time slots. Officials from the Cooperative, Food, and Civil Supplies departments stated that all preparations have been completed. Rice and sugar supplies have been delivered to all ration shops, while 50 to 80 percent of the required sugarcane has also reached the shops. Arrangements have been made to send the remaining quantity through the district administration to ensure that fresh sugarcane reaches every beneficiary on time.

Employees will not get leave until the end of the festival

Some stocks of dhotis and sarees distributed in previous years are still remaining in government warehouses. Officials said that in areas where there is demand, this stock will be made available to the shops for redistribution. Police personnel have been deployed to manage crowds, especially in areas with multiple ration shops in close proximity. Employees have been instructed not to take leave until the end of the festival to ensure smooth distribution.

Shops in hilly areas will open at 6 AM

Considering the people who go to work early in the morning in hilly areas, ration shops will open at 6 AM. The token distribution process was completed on Wednesday. Beneficiaries who did not receive tokens have been asked to contact their respective ration shops to collect their Pongal gift packs on the designated date.

Previously, Rs. 1000 was given

It is noteworthy that until last year, a cash amount of Rs. 1000 was given, but this year, keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections, this amount has been increased to three thousand rupees. MK Stalin’s son and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin also distributed Pongal gifts to people in his Chepauk-Triplicane assembly constituency.