In a major announcement ahead of the harvest festival, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday declared a ₹3,000 cash gift for all rice-category ration card holders across the state. The festival payout also extends to all families living in rehabilitation camps for Sri Lankan Tamils, ensuring they can join in the Pongal celebrations.
The gift isn't just about the cash; the government is also rolling out a full festive hamper. Each eligible family will receive a kilo of rice, a kilo of sugar, a full stalk of sugarcane, and a new dhoti and saree, all distributed through local ration shops. With over 2.22 crore families set to benefit, the state is looking at a massive bill of roughly ₹6,936.17 crore to pull this off.
This year's payout marks a significant jump in festival aid. To put it in perspective, back during the 2011-16 AIADMK era, the cash gift started at a modest ₹100. It eventually climbed to ₹1,000 and then hit ₹2,500 in 2021 under then-CM Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Much like 2021, this current year is also an election year, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government's decision to hike the amount to ₹3,000 sets a new record for the highest festival assistance provided by the state. The government release emphasised that these gifts are intended to ensure every Tamil household can celebrate Pongal — a festival "celebrated since times immemorial" — with dignity and joy.
By including the Sri Lankan Tamil community in the rehabilitation camps, the administration is reinforcing its "Dravidian Model" of inclusive welfare even as the state gears up for a high-stakes election season.
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