VIJAYAWADA: Despite facing financial crunch, the State government has spent Rs 1,451 crore in the last four years on distribution of gift hampers containing commodities like wheat flour, palm oil, red gram, bengal gram, jaggery, sugar and ghee to white ration card-holders under the Chandranna Kanuka during festivals like Sankranti, Ramzan and Christmas. The aim of the government in implementing the scheme is to ensure that poor families celebrate festivals happily.
