Pongal gift hamper distribution to 7.45 lakh cardholders begins in Erode

Minister for Housing, Prohibition and Excise S. Muthusamy on Thursday (January 8, 2026) launched the distribution of Pongal gift hampers along with ₹3,000 in cash to family cardholders in the district.

The Minister, in the presence of District Collector S. Kandasamy, inaugurated the scheme at fair price shops functioning under cooperative credit societies in areas including Manickampalayam, Thindal, Veppampalayam, Nasiyanur and Nanjanapuram within the Erode Corporation limits.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Muthusamy said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had announced the scheme to enable people to celebrate the 2026 Pongal festival.  Under the scheme, all rice cardholders and families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camps will receive one kg of raw rice, one kg of sugar, one whole sugarcane and ₹3,000 in cash. The scheme was formally launched by the Chief Minister in Chennai earlier in the day.

In Erode district, the Pongal gift hampers will be distributed through 1,270 fair price shops, for which ₹223.95 crore has been allocated. A total of 7,45,155 rice cardholder families and 1,373 families residing in Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camps are expected to benefit.

The Minister said  tokens specifying the date and time of collection had been issued to beneficiaries to prevent overcrowding at fair price shops.

As part of the programme, the Minister distributed Pongal gift hampers and cash assistance at several fair price shops and also inaugurated a new fair price shop at Pichandampalayam, where he handed over the benefits to family cardholders.

Erode East MLA V.C. Chandrakumar, Deputy Mayor V. Selvaraj, District Revenue Officer S. Santha Kumar, Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies P. Kandaraja, were present.