As the Pongal festival nears, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is set to declare that the state government will offer Rs 3,000 in cash along with the Pongal gift hamper for 2026. This decision follows discussions with ministers and officials to meet public expectations for the upcoming harvest festival.
The initial confusion arose when a government order allocated Rs 248 crore solely for the Pongal gift package without mentioning any cash component. This move aims to ensure the availability of essential Pongal items like raw rice, sugar, and sugarcane through fair price shops in Tamil Nadu.
In response to past practices and public anticipation, the Chief Minister, in consultation with the Cabinet and bureaucrats, finalized the inclusion of Rs 3,000 cash assistance along with the traditional Pongal gift hamper. The distribution is scheduled to commence on January 8, with tokens being distributed to households for orderly collection at ration shops.
The scheme, set to benefit rice card holders and eligible ration card categories, will be executed across Tamil Nadu through fair price shops. To prevent overcrowding, arrangements are being made to distribute benefits to approximately 400 ration card holders per day at each outlet, with the aim of completing distribution by January 14.
