'Pongal gift tokens will be issued from Dec 30'

CHENNAI: The state government has announced that it would distribute tokens for Pongal gifts to ration card holders from December 30.

State cooperatives minister K R Periyakaruppan and state food minister R Sakkarapani on Tuesday jointly announced at a media briefing that the tokens would be distributed to 2.19 crore ration card holders on December 30 & 31 and January 2 to 4.

Asked if there would be enough time to distribute the tokens, the ministers answered in the affirmative and clarified that the gift of Rs 1,000 would be distributed as cash directly to the card holders at the fair price shops.

On the demand of political parties and farmers to include sugarcane in the Pongal gift, Sakkarapani clarified that the decision on distribution of Rs 1,000 plus a kg each of raw rice and sugar to 2.19 crore card holders was taken at a meeting of the highest level chaired by the CM.

"Some parties and farmers have raised the demand to include sugarcane to the gift. We have taken it up with the CM. He will decide on the issue."

He also added that the physically challenged persons and elderly people who are unable to visit the shops could authorise a person to collect the gift on their behalf by submitting a request through a stipulated form available at shops.