Chennai, 17 January (H.S.) : The Tamil Nadu government has announced its decision to resume the distribution of Pongal gift hampers for the section of beneficiaries who could not collect them earlier.

According to official reports, the distribution was temporarily delayed because many ration card holders had travelled to their native places to celebrate the festival with their families.

The authorities have confirmed that the process will restart at ration shops across the state once the residents return, with a formal announcement regarding the exact dates expected within the next few days.

Providing details on the progress of the scheme, officials stated that over 90 percent of eligible beneficiaries have already received their hampers. Each gift package includes 3000 rupees in cash assistance along with one kilogram of brown rice, one kilogram of sugar, and a full sugarcane.

The remaining hampers are expected to be fully distributed by the end of this month to ensure that no eligible family is left out. The ambitious welfare scheme was launched by Chief Minister MK Stalin on January 8 at Alandur in Chennai, with the goal of benefiting 2.22 crore rice ration card holders across Tamil Nadu.

To manage the crowds, the government had previously issued tokens to 300 beneficiaries per shop daily and even extended the distribution period until the day of Bhogi on January 14. This resumption aims to complete the mission successfully.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary