CPM urges Stalin to include sugarcane, jaggery in Pongal gift pack

CHENNAI: CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan on Saturday wrote to chief minister MK Stalin requesting to take appropriate measures to include sugarcane, jaggery, cashew, cardamom and ghee which have been given in the past years in the Pongal gift package announced by the state government and to purchase directly from sugarcane farmers and jaggery producers.

"I would like to inform you that the sugarcane farmers and jaggery producers will be happy and the general public will also benefit, " he said in the letter.

Balakrishnan said that his party welcomes the state government announcement of Rs 1000 cash along with a Pongal gift pack consisting of raw rice and sugar to be distributed to the ration card holders. "For the past two years, the Pongal gift package has included red sugarcane. As a result, the farmers were happy as the sugarcane grown for the Pongal festival was getting an affordable price. Farmers across the state have grown red sugarcane in additional areas in the hope that the Tamil Nadu government will purchase it this year as well, " he said, adding that the farmers were disappointed with the government announcement and facing huge losses.

The jaggery producers were also unhappy as the jaggery was not included as part of the gift pack, he said. "There is an expectation among the public that cardamom, cashews, ghee, jaggery and sugarcane which have been provided in the Pongal package of the state government in the past years, should also be provided, " the CPM leader wrote.