Chennai, Jan 8 (NationPress) On Thursday, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the statewide distribution of Pongal gift hampers along with Rs 3,000 cash assistance, benefiting over 2.22 crore rice ration card holders and eligible Sri Lankan Tamil families in Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister officially kicked off the initiative at a fair price shop located in Alandur, close to Nazarathpet in Chennai, with ministers and senior officials from the Cooperation, Food and Civil Supplies Departments, as well as district administration present.

Each eligible family will receive a Pongal gift hamper that includes one kilogram of raw rice, one kilogram of sugar, and one full sugarcane, complemented by the cash assistance of Rs 3,000.

Officials indicated that beneficiaries can retrieve their cash and gift hampers from all ration shops following the designated time slots assigned to them.

To ensure a seamless and timely distribution across the state, authorities have made comprehensive arrangements. The preparatory work has been supervised by officials from the Cooperation Department and the Food Distribution and Consumer Protection Department.

According to sources, all necessary rice and sugar for the Pongal gift hampers has been dispatched to ration shops throughout Tamil Nadu.

Officials noted that based on previous years' data, approximately 80 percent of dhotis and sarees distributed during past Pongal celebrations were utilized by beneficiaries, and all ration shops have accounted for their supplies.

On the distribution of sugarcane, it was reported that between 50 and 80 percent of the required quantity has already arrived at individual ration shops.

The government’s objective is to distribute fresh green sugarcane, with district administrations coordinating procurement and supply to ensure sufficient availability at each outlet.

Police security has been deployed in areas where multiple ration shops operate from the same premises to manage crowds effectively. Ration shop personnel have been instructed to openly count and hand over the Rs 3,000 cash assistance in front of beneficiaries. Additionally, employees have been directed to refrain from taking leave until the conclusion of the Pongal festival.

To accommodate residents in hilly regions who begin work early, ration shops in those areas will open at 6 a.m.

Officials assured that all measures have been implemented to avoid inconvenience to the public during the distribution process. Token distribution for collecting Pongal gifts was finalized on Wednesday.

Beneficiaries who have not yet obtained tokens are encouraged to reach out to their respective ration shops and collect the Pongal gift hampers and cash on the designated dates set by officials.