Tamil Nadu

Pongal gift distribution to ration card-holders begins in districts

MATCHING: Women checking out the saris given for Pongal in Thanjavur district on Thursday. — Photo: M. Srinath; (Middle) Union Minister for State for Environment and Forests S. Regupathy inaugurating the distribution of saris and dhotis at Khalif Nagar in Pudukottai; Collector R. Sudalaikannan giving away saris to a woman at Varanavasi village in Ariyalur.

Thanjavur: Collector M. S. Shanmugham on Thursday inaugurated the distribution of Pongal gift bags to ration card holders at the Neelagiri panchayat fair price shop near here.

The Collector said that the gift bags carrying half kg of raw rice, half kg of jaggery, 100 grams of dhal, 20 grams of cashew and cardamom will be distributed to 6,61,451 card holders in the district through 1,083 fair price shops.

Details about the date and time on which the bags will be distributed are displayed in the shops. Out of the total ration card holders, 1,44,404 card holders in Thanjavur taluk will get the bags. Talukwise, 72,934 card holders will get the bags in Papanasam , 62,710 in Thiruvidaimaruthur, 1,21,941 card holders in Kumbakonam, 50,429 in Thiruvaiyaru, 35,922 in Peravurani, 1,04,710 in Pattukottai and 68,404 in Orathanadu.

The Collector also inaugurated the distribution of free dhotis and saris to people below poverty line in the district.

In Thanjavur taluk 1,05,810 free dhotis and saris will be distributed, 46,350 dhotis and saris in Thiruvaiyaru, 1,13,865 in Kumbakonam, 63,822 in Papanasam , 62,141 in Thiruvidaimaruthur , 92,936 in Pattukottai and 33,402 each in Peravurani.

M. Karunakaran, District Revenue Officer, K.V.S.Kumar, Joint Registrar of Co-operatives, participated in the function.

As many as 3.45 lakh family cardholders in Tiruvarur district will get the free `Pongal gift bags’ through the fair price shops till January 14, said M.Chandrasekaran, Collector, here on Thursday.

A total of 4.39 lakh ration card holders would benefit under the gift bags programme in the district, Collector M. Jayaraman said.

Speaking after inaugurating the scheme at Kuruvadi village in Tirumarugal union on Thursday, he said the distribution would continue till January 12 and those who could not get the commodities would be supplied on January 13 and 14.

Mr. Jayaraman said that as many as 7.96 lakh free dhotis and saris would be distributed.

Highlighting the flood relief programmes implemented in the district, he said that the district administration had a sent a proposal to the State Government seeking an outlay of Rs. 198 crore for flood prevention programme, particularly in the Arasalaru and Mudikondan rivers.

Padmavathi, MLA, A. Annadurai, District Revenue Officer, and Gunasekaran, Deputy Registrar of Cooperatives, were among those present.

Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests S. Regupathy inaugurated the distribution of gift bags at Khalif Nagar in Pudukottai. He said that Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was fully aware of the sufferings of the poor and downtrodden and has launched various projects for their welfare.

In all, 4.15 lakh card holders would get the bags in the district.

He also inaugurated the distribution of free dhotis and saris to 7.12 lakh men and women.

Collector Reeta Harish Thakkar presided over the function. She said that zonal officers have been nominated to monitor its prompt distribution .

Collector Anil Meshram inaugurated the distribution of bags in Alambadi village near Perambalur on Thursday and the distribution of free dhotis and sarees.

Mr. Meshram said that 1.56 lakh card holders would get the bags.

The district administration had made all arrangements for its distribution through 260 fair price shops. Over 2.6 lakh people would get the dhotis and saris.

The district administration on Thursday commenced distribution of free saris and dhotis for Pongal at Varanavasi village in Tirumanur taluk in the district.

Over 1.9 lakh families would receive the dhotis and saris over the next 10 days, Collector R. Sudalaikannan said, launching the distribution in the presence of District Revenue Officer K. Pulamadan and District Supply Officer N. Nagarajan.

The district administration has taken steps to inform the beneficiaries beforehand of the date and time to receive the benefit at the village administrative office concerned. A total of 1,90,231 dhotis and 1,90,383 sarees will be distributed in the district.

Meanwhile, the process to distribute the bags took off at a fair price shop in Ariyalur town. Mr. Sudalaikannan said that the process of distribution would continue till January 14.

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