The Tamil Nadu government has announced the first major overhaul of its annual Pongal gift scheme in over a decade, upgrading the fabric quality, durability, and colour range of the free dhotis and sarees to be distributed for Pongal 2027. The revamp, formalised through a Government Order issued by the Department of Handlooms and Khadi on 1 July, is expected to benefit both the millions of recipients and the state's cooperative handloom sector.

New Fabric Specifications

The redesigned sarees will be woven using improved 60s poly-cotton yarn with an 80:20 polyester-cotton ratio, replacing the earlier 90:10 blend. The higher cotton content is intended to make the garments more comfortable, particularly during summer. Sarees will retain their standard dimensions of 5.5 metres in length and 45 inches in width, and will feature silver or copper-coloured polyester borders. A new shade — green — has been added to the existing palette of light blue, pink, and ivory white.

The dhotis have also been upgraded: they will now use 40s grey poly-cotton yarn with a 65:35 polyester-cotton ratio, up from the earlier 80:20 mix. Each dhoti will measure two metres in length and 50 inches in width, feature coloured polyester borders, and — for the first time — will be supplied pre-washed.

Production Targets and Procurement

The production target for Pongal 2027 has been retained at 177.64 lakh sarees and 177.22 lakh dhotis, unchanged from the previous three years. District collectors had reportedly sought more than 2.27 crore sarees and 2.25 crore dhotis based on projected demand, but the government decided against scaling up production, citing limited time available to introduce the new designs.

Garments will be produced through handloom and powerloom weavers' cooperative societies. Co-optex and the Tamil Nadu Textile Corporation will procure the garments from these societies and supply them to the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation for distribution. The government has also permitted yarn procurement through short-term tenders to ensure timely production.

Scheme Cost and Budget Allocation

The total cost of the Pongal 2027 scheme has been estimated at ₹642.88 crore. Of the ₹606.94 crore earmarked in the 2026-27 State Budget, the government has already released ₹300 crore as the first instalment to kick-start production. Officials noted that the early fund release would help ensure timely payments to weavers.

Handling Unsold Stock and Weaver Response

Unsold stock from the 2026 Pongal scheme will be distributed to old-age pension beneficiaries during Deepavali this year, with remaining stock directed toward other government purposes. Handloom weavers in Salem welcomed the initiative, saying the redesigned garments would improve overall appeal and that the early release of funds would benefit both producers and the public receiving the Pongal gift package.

This comes amid a broader state push to revitalise cooperative weaving societies, with officials saying the improved specifications would also increase yarn production in cooperative spinning mills and streamline manufacturing. All eyes are now on whether the upgraded scheme can be executed within the compressed production timeline ahead of Pongal 2027.