CHENNAI: On a crucial poll year, Chief Minister MK Stalin personally launched the State-wide distribution of the Pongal Special Package, including Rs 3,000 cash aid, at a ration shop in Alandur on Thursday, in continuation with the DMK chief's annual practice to kickstart the distribution in person.
CM Stalin made a crucial addition to the distribution this year by including families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps across the State under its ambit.
Taking to his social media account, he called this festival 'magizhchi Pongal' (festival of joy), sharing the political slogan 'velvom onraga' (let's unite and win).
Prior to the launch, CM Stalin, along with Cabinet members, inspected a ration shop on Butt Road in Alandur to review preparedness and distribution arrangements.
Afterwards, launching the scheme at the fair price shop in Alandur, the Chief Minister personally handed over the Pongal package, which includes Rs 3,000 in cash, one kilogram each of raw rice and sugar, a full-length sugarcane, and free dhotis and sarees, to select rice ration card holders to kickstart the delivery across states.
Ministers simultaneously launched the distribution across the State. Ministers KR Periyakaruppan, R Sakkarapani, Ma Subramanian, TM Anbarasan, Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar and senior officials were present at the Chennai event to kickstart the distribution.
The Pongal Special Package token issuing began on January 3, Saturday, for 2.22 crore rice ration card holders and eligible families in rehabilitation camps. The government has earmarked Rs 6,936 crore exclusively for the Rs 3,000 cash assistance component, while Rs 248.66 crore has been allocated for the procurement and distribution of the special Pongal package items.
The Food and Civil Supplies department said token distribution has been completed and urged beneficiaries yet to receive tokens to contact their respective ration shops to collect the Pongal package on the scheduled dates.