CM will decide on Pongal cash bonus: Minister Udhayanidhi

CHENNAI: State sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday said that chief minister M K Stalin would take a call on the issue of distributing Pongal cash bonus to ration card holders.

Talking to media persons here during a function organized by the party for distributing welfare assistance to flood affected people in the city, Udhayanidhi Stalin, "The Chief Minister will take a call on that." Asked if the people could expect the cash gift this Pongal season, the minister said, "Only the CM will decide it."

Reacting to a query on his meeting with the PM on Thursday, Udhayanidhi said, "Khelo India 2024 will be held here (Tamil Nadu) from January 19 to 31. I am meeting the PM to invite him for the event."

Asked if the PM would attend the inauguration of the Tamil Nadu edition of the annual sports conclave, the minister added, "I will give the invitation to the PM. It is up to him to attend or not attend the event."

On whether he would ask the PM to grant relief assistance for the floods in the state, the minister sarcastically asked, "Do you want me to urge the PM to release the relief fund."

Asked if he would insist the PM on allocating funds, "I will definitely ask him. But the purpose of my visit is to invite the PM. I will also urge the PM to release funds for flood relief. I will give him the invitation."

Reacting to a specific query on the PM claiming yesterday in Trichy that the union government has allotted 2.5% more funds to the state compared to the past union governments, Udhayanidhi said, "The (state) Finance minister has replied in detail. I don't want to argue for the sake of it. The union finance minister has also visited and inspected the flood damages. I am confident that they would allot funds."

Asked about the DMK youth wing state conference, the DMK youth wing secretary said, "The party president and general secretary will discuss and announce in a couple of days. Mostly, it will be held before the end of January."