Date:14/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/14/stories/2009011451020200.htm

Other States - Puducherry

No shop-to-shop hopping for all festive ingredients under one roof

Staff Reporter

Pongal bazaar will be on till January 15

— Photo: T.Singaravelou

New addition: Crockery utilities find a place this time at the Pongal bazaar in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: Vegetables, groceries, rice, sugar, sugarcane and much more are available under one roof at the annual Pongal bazaar of Puducherry Agro-Products, Food and Civil Supplies Corporation (PAPSCO).

The 16th Pongal bazaar, which was inaugurated on January 10 by Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam and Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy, comes as a market intervention measure and provides one-stop solution for people during the festival season, S. Vasantha Kumar, Managing Director of PAPSCO said.

“There are a total of 30 stalls at the bazaar, of which 23 belong to PAPSCO and government organisations and the rest are private stalls. We have stalls selling vegetables, groceries, rice, sugar and palm oil at the bazaar. We have got chewable sugar cane from Thirukaatupalli. Amudhasurabhi, Pontex, Khadi, Ponlait have also put up their stalls,” he added.

Last year, the bazaar saw sales to the tune of Rs.9.78 lakh, he said.

This year, PAPSCO has introduced crockery utilities at the bazaar. Apart from this, textile products are also available at the venue. “Special items required for Pongal including turmeric, yam, sweet potato, tubers and roots and varieties of pumpkin are available,” he mentioned.

The bazaar is on at the Agricultural Market Complex, Thattanchavady till January 15 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.