[1]Chennai: Chief minister J. Jayalali-thaa announced Rs 300 crore Pongal gift including Rs. 100 as cash for the family ration cardholders across the state.
Besides the cash, the government would provide one kg each of rice and sugar to the people to celebrate the Pongal harvest festival in a joyous manner. This is the first time the state governement has come forward to provide cash during the harvest festival to purchase the ingredients needed to prepare the sweet Pongal - a delicacy prepared with rice and jaggery.
According to a relese here on Saturday, keeping in view the upcoming Pongal festival in mid-January, the state government would provide to all the 1.84 crore ration cardholders, a special Pongal pack containing one kilo of raw rice worth `20, one kilo of sugar worth `40 and a cash of `100 to purchase other ingredients. This bag will be given to the ration cardholders who are eligible to buy rice.
The move would make the state government entail an additional expenditure of ` 300 crore, Ms. Jayalalithaa said in the release. This gesture would not only address the grievances of farmers who are facing crop loss on account of non-release of water by Karnataka and monsoon failure but also enable the people of Tamil Nadu to celebrate Pongal with joy, she said extending her Pongal greetings
She said steps would be taken to ensure livelihood opportunities to farmers, who had suffered crop losses by taking up several projects to desilt rivers, canals and other waterbodies. These works would be executed under the National Rural Employment Guarantees scheme.
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