Chennai, Jan 29 (BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu minister for Textiles and Handlooms, R. Gandhi promised that the Pongal dhotis and saris would be distributed to the beneficiaries by February itself. The minister said that as usual the distribution has started before Pongal and would complete in February.
He said that there were instances of Pongal dhotis and saris being distributed by March 2013 and even in August 2014. He was responding to a statement by the former Chief Minister and deposed leader of the AIADMK, O. Panneerselvam that the distribution of Pongal saris and dhotis was not completed even after 10 days of the completion of the festival. The former AIADMK leader had urged the Chief Minister to distribute the dhotis and saris through ration shops.
R. Gandhi said that the administrative sanction for implementing the scheme at a cost of Rs 487 crore for 2023 has been issued as early as September 2022.
The minister said that the state revenue department had submitted a requirement list of Rs 177. 64 lakh saris and 177.23 lakh dhotis. He said that orders for procurement were issued in September 2022 and procurement began in November 2022.
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