Chennai: With many families yet to collect the Pongal gift hampers, the Tamil Nadu government has announced that eligible ration card holders can collect these until January 25.
While 2.2 crore ration card holders, including those in Sri Lankan refugee camps, are eligible for Pongal hampers,1.87 crore have so far collected these. Taking this into account, the government has extended the distribution of gift hampers till January 25.
Chief Minister M.K.Stalin inaugurated the Pongal gift hamper distribution on January 9. A workforce of 50,000 ration shop employees has been mobilized to ensure smooth distribution. Each Pongal gift hamper includes one kilogram each of raw rice and sugar, a sugarcane, a dhoti, and a saree. Additionally, the hampers contain a package of 21 essential items required for the festival.
The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on families, enabling them to celebrate Pongal without additional expenses.
The state government has allocated Rs 249.76 crore for the distribution. This year, the Pongal hampers did not include a cash component, which had been a part of the initiative for over a decade, except in 2017, 2018, and 2022.
The cash gift started at Rs 100 in 2014 and increased to Rs 1,000 in 2019 and Rs 2,500 in 2021. In January 2022, the DMK government excluded the cash component as cardholders had already received Rs 2,000 (as part of Covid-19 relief) in November 2021. Instead, the government provided hampers containing 16 grocery items valued at Rs 1,400.
The sarees and dhotis distributed this year were produced through state-run cooperative societies.
Beneficiaries also included those under the Old Age Pension Scheme.
For the 2025 Pongal festival, the Tamil Nadu government ordered the production of 1.77 crore dhotis and an equal number of sarees. This marked a significant increase from last year’s production of 1 crore dhotis and 1.24 crore sarees.
An additional 77 lakh dhotis and 53 lakh sarees were produced for this year’s distribution. The Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles, and Khadi Department allocated Rs 100 crore for procuring yarn and paying weavers.
The production employed 63,000 power looms across the state, using cotton yarn for the 2024-25 cycle. A shift to polyester yarn is planned for the 2025-26 cycle, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting traditional industries.
Pongal, also referred to as Thai Pongal, is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. It is observed in the Tamil calendar month of Thai, typically falling on January 14 or 15 in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is a time to thank the Sun, cattle, farmers, and their produce.
It corresponds to Makar Sankranti, a similar Hindu observance celebrated across the Indian subcontinent under various regional names. Pongal celebrations span three to four days, with Bhogi Pongal, Mattu Pongal, and Kanum Pongal observed consecutively.
(IANS)
