Tamil Nadu Govt Announces Rs 3,000 Cash and Pongal Gift Hampers Ahead of Polls
Rice ration cardholders, Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation families to benefit scheme marks major welfare push before Assembly polls
Chennai, Jan 8: With Assembly elections four months away, the Tamil Nadu government has launched a major welfare initiative. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday announced a Rs 3,000 cash gift for rice ration cardholders along with the traditional Pongal festival hamper, signalling a strong political pitch ahead of the polls.
The scheme was inaugurated at a fair price shop in Alandur, with cabinet colleagues present. Distribution begins immediately through ration shops, following a token based system to manage crowds.
Who Gets the Pongal Cash Gift and What It Includes
Every rice ration card-holding family will receive Rs 3,000 and a Pongal hamper consisting of:
Raw rice, spices, jaggery, nuts
Full sugarcane for the four-day harvest festival (Jan 14–17)
Free dhotis and sarees
The benefit also extends to families living in Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps. As of December 21, the scheme covers 22.29 million beneficiaries, costing the state Rs 6,936 crore.
Historically, the cash gift has varied:
No cash in 2022
Rs 1,000 in 2023 and 2024
Rs 2,500 under the AIADMK government in 2021
Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami previously advocated for Rs 5,000, but the DMK government finalised Rs 3,000 after reviewing state finances.
Welfare Push Intensifies Ahead of Polls
This announcement follows a series of high-profile welfare initiatives:
Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil (World at Your Hands): 10 lakh free laptops distributed to college students; another 10 lakh planned in the next phase
Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme: Replacing the Contributory Pension Scheme for government employees and teachers
The laptops include Intel i3/AMD Ryzen 3 processors, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, Windows 11, BOSS Linux, MS Office 365, and a subscription to AI-powered Perplexity Pro.
With the Assembly session starting Jan 20 and the interim budget expected by late Feb–March, more welfare announcements are likely as Tamil Nadu gears up for the elections.
