Stalin launches Pongal hamper distribution for 2.15 cr card holders
Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday launched the distribution of a special Pongal gift package to 2.15 crore rice card holders and Lankan Tamil refugees living in rehabilitation camps for the Pongal festival.
Stalin launched the scheme by distributing the special gift package to 10 families at the Secretariat. A 21-component assorted gift pack, including sugarcane, would be distributed to 2.15 crore rice card holding families and Lankan Tamil families living in camps at a cost of Rs 1,296.88 crore, as announced by Stalin.
The State Cooperative Department has issued tokens bearing date and time of distribution of gifts to eligible card holders to prevent convergence of large numbers of people at the ration shops and adhere to COVID protocols. State Cooperative Minister I Periasamy, Food Minister R Sakkarapani, Health Minister Ma Subramanian, HR & CE Minister P K Sekar Babu and Chief Secretary V Iraianbu vere present during the launch. The CM also launched the scheme for distributing new dresses and uniforms to archakas/bhattacharyas and employees of HR and CE Department-run temples.
To help devotees differentiate between archakas and staff, the government distributed cotton dhotis (with Mayilkan border) to archakas/ bhattacharyas/pujaris and maroon color sarees with yellow border to women pujaris and employees. Brown trousers with sandal colour shirts have been distributed to male temple employees. Over 52,800 employees of 36,684 HR and CE temples would benefit from the uniform distribution scheme, a release from the government said.