Pongal plus election dole: Cash, rice, sugar, cashews and clothes for 210 million people in Tamil Nadu

• Tamil Nadu government will start doling out ₹2,500 in cash, along with rice, sugar, cashew nuts, cardamom and clothes as a part of Pongal gift hamper from today, January 4.
• The state government is giving out the gift hamper as the poor and middle class’ livelihoods have suffered from the impact of COVID-19 as well as the two cyclones – Nivar and Burevi.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had also sanctioned ₹5,604.84 crore for the distribution of these hampers

Tamil Nadu government will start doling out ₹2,500 in cash, along with rice, sugar, cashew nuts, cardamom and clothes as a part of Pongal gift hamper from today, January 4. The gift hamper will be given to the state’s 2.10 crore rice card holders.

The state government is giving out the gift hamper as the poor and middle class’ livelihoods have suffered from the impact of COVID-19 as well as the two cyclones – Nivar and Burevi.

On December 21, 2020, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had announced the decision and had also issued a government order which sanctioned ₹5,604.84 crore for the distribution of these hampers.

Palaniswami’s rivals have criticised this as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (AIADMK) attempt to use government funds to sway voters ahead of the 2021 state assembly election. “Farmers and others are not in a position to celebrate Pongal this year. The Rangarajan Committee, which studied the impact of Covid-19, recommended financial assistance for people. Considering all this, we have decided to announce this gift,” Palaniswami said in his defence of his decision.

Following the announcement, Fair Price Shop workers had begun distributing coupons among the cardholders. “To avoid crowds in front of the ration shops, we have begun distributing tokens to the cardholders at their doorstep. The tokens are distributed in such a way to accommodate 200 beneficiaries in a day – 100 in the morning and 100 in the evening,” a District Supply Officer in the state had told TOI.

Additionally, people will also be able to collect the hampers from the ration shops on January 13, if they have missed the allocated date.

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