Chennai, Nov 29 (IANS): Even as the Pongul festival is slated to be celebrated in mid-January 2020, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Friday flagged off the Pongul cash gift of Rs 1,000 and gift hamper to for all ration card holders eligible to get rice under the public distribution system.
The gift hamper consists of rice and sugar - one kg each- sugarcane piece, five grams of cardamom, 20 gram each of cashew nuts and dry grapes, the government said in a statement.
The government has allocated a sum of Rs 2,363.13 crore for the scheme.
He also started the free distribution of sarees and dhotis for the poor.
Palaniswami gave away the Pongul cash gift, gift hamper, free saree and dhotis to 16 families signaling the start of the scheme.
For the free saree and dhoti scheme, the state govement has allotted a sum of Rs 484.25 crore. It will distribute 1.67 crore sarees and dhotis under the scheme.