CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is set to roll out the distribution of the annual Pongal special package from January 8, with Chief Minister MK Stalin expected to formally inaugurate the scheme in the city, according to sources.

Continuing the State's tradition of providing essential festive supplies to ration cardholders ahead of the harvest festival, an official announcement has confirmed that the Pongal special package will include a kg each of raw rice and sugar and a sugarcane.

However, the government has so far not issued any formal notification regarding the cash component of the Pongal package. Highly placed sources in the Food and Civil Supplies department said an announcement on cash assistance is expected either later on Friday or Saturday, following which a separate Government Order will be issued to operationalise the decision.

The absence of clarity on the cash component has drawn attention, as the monetary assistance has been a key element of the Pongal package in recent years, offering direct relief to households during the festive season. Officials indicated that preparatory work is already under way to ensure seamless implementation once the announcement is made.

According to sources, the chief minister will flag off the distribution in Chennai on January 8, after which the scheme will be implemented across the State through fair price shops under the Public Distribution System.