Collector inspects distribution of tokens to ration cardholders in Erode

Collector S. Kandasamy on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) inspected the door-to-door distribution of tokens to ration cardholders for receiving Pongal gift hampers in various parts of the district.

The initiative follows the announcement by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin that, to ensure the special celebration of the Pongal festival in 2026, all rice ration cardholders and families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camps will be provided with a Pongal gift hamper comprising one kilogram of raw rice, one kilogram of sugar, one whole sugarcane and ₹3,000 in cash.

In Erode district, the gift hampers are being distributed through 1,270 fair price shops. These include 1,253 shops operated by the Cooperative Department (913 full-time and 340 part-time), 15 shops run by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (14 full-time and one part-time), and two fair price shops operated by women self-help groups. A total of 7,46,528 ration cardholders are expected to benefit under the scheme.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the distribution of the Pongal gift hampers in Chennai on January 8, 2026. To prevent overcrowding at fair price shops, arrangements have been made to distribute tokens indicating the date and time for collection. Fair price shop staff are issuing these tokens in advance, and the process is currently under way across the district.

As part of the preparations for the festival, the Collector also inspected sugarcane procurement from farmers. He visited sugarcane cultivation areas in Gobichettipalayam and Gugalur and reviewed the taste, height and overall quality of the produce. Later, he examined the door-to-door token distribution in Polavakkalipalayam and Vellalapalayam, verifying the details mentioned on the tokens. He also inspected the quality raw rice and sugar procured for distribution at the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Society fair price shops in Gobichettipalayam, Lakkampatti and Karattadipalayam.

Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies P. Gandharaja and officials from departments concerned were present during the inspection.