CHENNAI: Ahead of the Pongal festival, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday announced a Rs 3,000 cash assistance for all rice ration card holders in Tamil Nadu and families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps.
To make the harvest festival more meaningful for households, the chief minister said the cash assistance would be provided in addition to the traditional Pongal special package already announced by the government.
The Pongal special package includes 1 kg each of raw rice and sugar and a full-length sugarcane, a dhoti and a saree and would be distributed through PDS outlets to beneficiaries, the chief minister announced.
A total of 2.22 crore rice card-holding families and residents of Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps are set to benefit from the scheme.
Chief Minister Stalin noted that free dhotis and sarees, distributed annually for the festival, have already been dispatched to all districts.
According to the official announcement, the combined expenditure for the Pongal gift hamper and the Rs 3,000 cash assistance will amount to Rs 6,936.17 crore.
The chief minister directed officials to ensure that the cash assistance, Pongal special packages, and dhotis and sarees are distributed well ahead of the festival, which falls on January 15, through fair price shops to enable families to celebrate Pongal with dignity and joy.
The harvest festival cash assistance provided by the state government to the people has risen to Rs 3,000 per family now, which is the highest, from a humble Rs 100 during the 2011-16 AIADMK regime.