CHENNAI: The state government on Saturday said that those with ration cards can avail the Pongal gift hampers until January 18 evening and that nearly 1.5 crore beneficiaries have availed the hampers so far, as per Daily Thanthi report.
The authorities have ordered to provide tokens for the hampers in ration shops to those who have not yet availed the package. The public have also been notified that they can receive the hampers until Saturday evening.
On the occasion of Pongal, the Tamil Nadu government provides Pongal gift sets which include free dhotis and sarees to family card holders across the state. Following this, Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated the project on January 9 by distributing Pongal gift packages to family card holders in Chennai.
According to a press release, nearly 2.2 crore family card holders will benefit from this initiative and nearly 1.7 crore beneficiaries have received the gift hampers till now. Pongal gift packages have been provided to families living in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps as well. With this, 75 percent of beneficiaries have received the hampers.
The state government had allocated Rs 249.76 crore for the gift hampers and Rs 600 crore for the free sarees and dhotis.