Chennai, Dec 11 (LatestNewsX) – Ahead of the upcoming elections, officials in Tamil Nadu are reportedly weighing a plan to give every ration‑card holder an extra Rs 3,000 in cash along with the state‑issued Pongal gift basket.
The proposal is expected to surface after the Women’s Rights Monthly Payment Scheme launches its pending disbursements on Friday.
Traditionally, the state hands out Pongal presents via its ration shops before the harvest festival. Under the former AIADMK administration, the 2021 package set a record with a Rs 2,500 cash addition plus staples and gifts. When the DMK took office, the cash share was cut to Rs 1,000 while the staple distribution stayed the same.
This year, however, the authorities announced a pure‑goods package—matta rice, sugar, sugarcane, and other necessities—without any cash allotment, sparking sharp criticism from the public.
With the Assembly polls looming, senior ministers are reportedly urging government officials to revisit the idea of a cash supplement for all ration‑card holders. Initial rumblings even suggested Rs 5,000 per family, but the state’s finances, already stretched by the Women’s Rights Scheme, make that unaffordable at present. As a middle ground, the government seems ready to provide Rs 3,000 in cash plus a full Pongal kit, aiming to reach all 2.25 crore households in Tamil Nadu.
So far, no official statement has been issued, but insiders suggest the formal announcement will likely trail the rollout of pending Women’s Rights Scheme payments on December 12.
Curiously, Pongal gifts are normally distributed just before the festival. However, due to the logistics of handing out cash to such a large group, the administration plans to allow distribution of the Pongal packs throughout January, giving beneficiaries enough time to receive both the festival goods and the cash component. If this confirmation comes to pass, it would represent one of the most substantial cash disbursements linked to Pongal in recent years and could sway public opinion as the 2026 Assembly elections approach.
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