CM Inaugurates Pongal Gift Presentation
Among the total 2,22,91,710 beneficiaries are also residents of the Special camps for Sri Lankan Tamils who would also be able to celebrate Pongal, falling on January 15, with joy.
Chennai:Pongal gift distribution to holders of 'rice ration cards,' an exercise costing Rs 7604, 29,47, 969 (nearly Rs 7604.30 crore) to the State government began on Thursday across the State with Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurating the scheme at a ration shop in Chennai.
Among the total 2,22,91,710 beneficiaries are also residents of the Special camps for Sri Lankan Tamils who would also be able to celebrate Pongal, falling on January 15, with joy.
Apart from a gift hamper comprising a kilo of raw rice, a kilo of sugar and a full length sugarcane, the beneficiaries also received a cash gift of Rs 3000 each.
Along with the presentation of gifts and cash, 1,77,64,000 saris and 1,77,22,000 will be distributed to the people, who would be issued tokens to collect the bonanza on specific dates. The process aims at staggering the distribution time in the ration shops with a view to avoiding crowding.