Chennai, Jan 8 (NationPress) In a move to celebrate Pongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, the state government is set to unveil a significant welfare program on Thursday, offering a Pongal gift hamper along with Rs 3,000 in cash to over 2.22 crore ration card holders, which also encompasses eligible Sri Lankan Tamil families living in the state.

The inauguration will be performed by M.K. Stalin at a ration shop located in the Alandur area of Nazarethpettai, Chennai. After the launch, beneficiaries can start collecting their Pongal gift hampers from ration shops throughout Tamil Nadu according to their designated time slots.

The contents of each Pongal gift hamper comprise one kilogram of raw rice, one kilogram of sugar, one whole sugarcane, in addition to the Rs 3,000 cash assistance.

The government has instructed that distribution should start immediately and proceed seamlessly across all ration shops, ensuring public convenience.

Officials from both the Cooperation Department and the Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department have confirmed that all necessary preparations are finalized. The rice and sugar earmarked for the Pongal gift hampers have already been dispatched to ration shops statewide. The distribution process will be closely monitored to uphold transparency and efficiency.

Concerning the distribution of sugarcane, officials indicated that between 50 percent to 80 percent of the required quantity has already been delivered to individual ration shops. The remaining sugarcane will be provided through district administrations in the coming days.

Special care is being taken to distribute fresh sugarcane, with arrangements in place to ensure timely delivery in case of shortages.

Officials also commented on the issue of leftover stocks from past years. They reported that although approximately 80 percent of the dhotis and sarees distributed during previous Pongal celebrations were utilized by beneficiaries, 100 percent of these items were claimed by the ration shops. The leftover stock is currently stored in government warehouses and will be dispatched to ration shops as needed.

To manage the large crowds during distribution, police security has been arranged in areas where multiple ration shops are situated close together. Ration shop personnel have been instructed not to take leave until the Pongal festival concludes to ensure uninterrupted service.

Special arrangements have also been made for hilly regions. As residents in these areas typically leave early for work, ration shops in hilly localities will open at 6 a.m. to facilitate convenient access for beneficiaries. The token distribution process, which determines the date and time for collecting the Pongal gifts, was completed on Wednesday. Those who have yet to receive tokens are encouraged to visit their respective ration shops to collect their Pongal gift packages on the dates specified by officials.