Pongal Gift Hampers Available Until This Evening: TN Government
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Synopsis
The Tamil Nadu government has announced that eligible ration cardholders can claim their Pongal gift hampers until this evening. This initiative aims to support families during the Pongal festival, providing essential items and financial assistance.
Key Takeaways
- Pongal gift hampers available until this evening.
- 1.7 crore beneficiaries have collected hampers.
- Includes free sarees, dhotis, and Rs 1,000 cash.
- 21 essential festival items included.
- Support for families in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps.
Chennai, Jan 18 (NationPress) The government of Tamil Nadu has declared that eligible ration cardholders can collect their Pongal gift hampers until this evening.
According to officials, a total of 1.7 crore beneficiaries have already received the hampers. To ensure inclusivity, ration shops have been directed to distribute tokens to those who have yet to pick up their packages.
The gift hampers are part of the state's annual celebration for Pongal, one of the most important festivals in Tamil Nadu, which took place from January 14, spanning four days.
These hampers, provided to family cardholders statewide, include complimentary dhotis, sarees, and a cash gift of Rs 1,000.
In addition, the package features 21 essential items for the festival, including rice, sugar, tamarind, and sugarcane, designed to ease the financial pressure on families.
On January 9, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the distribution of these hampers in Chennai. Approximately 2.2 crore family cardholders are anticipated to benefit from this initiative, with 1.7 crore recipients already having collected their hampers, which accounts for 75% of the total.
Families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps are also included in this distribution. The state government has allocated Rs 249.76 crore for the hampers and Rs 600 crore for the free dhotis and sarees.
The sarees and dhotis, crafted by state-run cooperative societies, have been distributed to ration cardholders and beneficiaries of the Old Age Pension Scheme.
For the upcoming 2025 Pongal festival, the Tamil Nadu government has commissioned the production of 1.77 crore dhotis and an equal number of sarees, a notable rise from last year’s production of 1 crore dhotis and 1.24 crore sarees, with an additional 77 lakh dhotis and 53 lakh sarees produced this year.
The Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles, and Khadi Department has set aside Rs 100 crore to purchase yarn and compensate weavers involved in this initiative.
This production utilized 63,000 powerlooms statewide, employing cotton yarn for the 2024-25 cycle, with plans to transition to polyester yarn for the 2025-26 cycle.
This initiative illustrates the government’s dedication to bolstering traditional industries and ensuring that families throughout Tamil Nadu can celebrate Pongal without financial difficulties.
