Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced Pongal gift of one kg raw rice, jaggery and Rs 1,000 card at public distribution shops in the state.
The rice cardholders and Sri Lankan refugees in rehabilitation camps are eligible for getting the hamper.
The Tamil Nadu government made the announcement after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin chaired a meeting with the officials at the Secretariat.
After the meeting, Tamil Nadu government in a release announced that 2.19 crore cardholders will get the hamper and cash from January 2, 2023.
The scheme will be launched by CM Stalin in Chennai on January 2. The Ministers will also launch the scheme in their respective districts on the same day. The scheme is launched at the cost of Rs 2,356.67 crore, said the release.
It may be noted that the Pongal gift hampers distributed by the DMK government during Pongal 2022 came under a lot of criticism for its alleged substandard quality. The people also staged multiple protests to condemn the substandard quality hamper.
Following this, CM Stalin chaired a meeting and ordered to blacklist of the contractors.
In 2022, Tamil Nadu government announced Rs 2,500 cash and a gift hamper through public distribution shops. The hamper included 1 kg rice, 1 kg of sugar, 20 grams of cashew, 20 grams of raisins, 5 grams of cardamom and one piece of sugarcane in 2022.
However, the sugarcane farmers urged the government to procure sugarcane for Pongal hampers.