CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday charged that the DMK government did not disburse pongal gift hampers to 25% of the eligible beneficiaries and demanded the government to continue the disbursement of the Pongal gift extend the benefit to the left out families.

Palaniswami, in a statement, said the present dispensation had announced Pongal gift hampers consisting of 19 items. It has been disbursed from January 10 and stopped the distribution of the gift hampers by January 14, leaving out 100 to 200 cardholders in each Public Distribution System (DPS) shop. "It is strongly condemnable, " said Palaniswami.

When the cardholders approached the respective shops on January 18 to receive the gift hampers, the workers in the PDS shops informed them that they would send back remaining gift hampers as per the direction from the higher officials, the LOP said in a statement.