In the election year, the DMK government of Tamil Nadu has given a big gift to the people of the state before the Pongal festival. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday (January 8, 2026) formally launched the Pongal Gift Hamper Distribution Scheme from a ration shop in Alandur area, Nazarathpettai, Chennai. Under this scheme, 2 crore 22 lakh ration card holding families of the state will be given Pongal gift pack with ₹ 3,000 cash assistance. This entire scheme will cost the government more than Rs 6 thousand crore.
According to government officials, each beneficiary family is being provided with one kilo of rice, one kilo of sugar, one sugarcane and ₹3,000 in cash. The distribution process has been started in the entire state from Thursday itself. Beneficiaries have been instructed to collect Pongal packs from the nearest ration shops as per their scheduled time slots.
Supplies delivered to ration shops
The Department of Co-operation, Food and Civil Supplies said that all necessary preparations have been completed for the smooth implementation of the scheme. The supply of rice and sugar has been delivered to all ration shops, while the supply of sugarcane has been completed by 50 to 80 percent. The remaining sugarcane will be delivered soon through the district administration so that all the beneficiaries can get fresh sugarcane on time. Some stock of dhotis and sarees of last years is still present in government warehouses. Officials said that in areas where there is demand for it, this stock will be sent to ration shops for redistribution.
Police forces deployed in many areas
Police forces have been deployed in many areas for crowd control and maintaining law and order, especially in areas where there are multiple ration shops in the same area. Departmental employees have been instructed not to take leave till the end of the festival so that there is no hindrance in the distribution process. Keeping in mind the people who go to work early in the morning in hilly and remote areas, it has been decided to open some ration shops from 6 am. The process of token distribution was completed on Wednesday. Beneficiaries who have not received the token have been asked to contact their respective ration shops.
Increase in the amount of cash assistance
Last year, on the occasion of Pongal, Rs 1,000 cash assistance was given by the government, but this year, keeping in mind the assembly elections, this amount has been increased to Rs 3,000. Meanwhile, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s son and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin also participated in the scheme by distributing Pongal gifts to the people in his assembly constituency Chepauk-Triplicane.
Also read: Stray Dogs: ‘Dogs bite those who are afraid’, dog lovers started shaking their heads after hearing SC’s words, then the judge interrupted and said this