Stalin will decide on Pongal gift: Min Periyakaruppan

CHENNAI: State minister of cooperation K R Periyakaruppan on Wednesday remained tightlipped on the issue of distribution of Pongal gifts for the ensuing harvest festival and said that Chief Minister M K Stalin would make a decision on the issue soon.

Talking to media persons after chairing his maiden meeting since taking over as the cooperation minister, Periyakaruppan said, "We are awaiting the decision of the chief minister. This department implements it once the government makes a decision."

He was responding to a question on the chief minister chairing a meeting on the issue of Pongal gift distribution.

Asked about the chances of the government distributing gift packages like last time, an evasive Periyakaruppan said, "The decision is made by the CM. He will announce."

When reporters sought his attention to the government not even floating a tender for Pongal gift distribution, the minister said, "The Pongal gift package was first launched by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in 2008. Initially, products were distributed."

"After regime change in 2011, they did not distribute one year during the AIADMK regime led by Jayalalithaa. It is unfair to say that it was distributed every year during Pongal. In the interim, it was not distributed for four years during the AIADMK regime. Pongal came and ended without them distributing either packages or money, " the minister added.

Reiterating that the CM convened a meeting on the issue, the cooperation minister said, "We are ready to implement as soon as the CM makes a decision. The government must decide. Do not try to create an impression as if it was not done only this year. In the previous (AIADMK) regime, nothing was given for four years."

The minister added that the cooperative banks in the state were running profitably.