PUDUCHERRY: Chief minister N Rangasamy launched the distribution of rain relief of ₹5,000 to each family holding a red ration card (BPL) and Rs 4,500 to each family holding a yellow card (APL) on Tuesday.
Following the unprecedented rainfall in Puducherry in November, affecting the lives of people, Rangasamy announced on November 16 that the new government would provide Rs 5,000 to each of the red cardholders as rain relief.
Since there was a demand for relief from several people with slightly more income holding yellow cards, Rangasamy announced a relief of Rs 5,000 for all ration cards. After the approval to the government proposal in this regard was given by the Lt Governor following clearance by the Finance department with some modification, the relief distribution began today.
Accordingly, a relief fund of Rs 5,000 each is being provided to all Red cardholders, while the relief of Rs 4,500 each is being extended to all yellow family cardholders, excluding government employees through the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
It is being deposited in phases into the bank accounts of 3.27 lakh families of which 1.85 lakh are red family cardholders, 1.42 are yellow family cardholders. It will have a financial implication of about ₹156 crores to the government.
Rangasamy said the government is planning to provide free clothing (saree, dhoti/lungi, towel, and other items ) to poor families for Pongal, instead of the present system of cash through DBT into their bank accounts. The sarees and dhotis would be procured through Amudhasurabhi, the government Cooperative supermarket, he said indicating that it would not only benefit the beneficiaries but also help in reviving the cooperative.
Permission has been granted for the New Year celebration in compliance with corona restrictions as in the previous year (during the tenure of the previous Congress government led by V Narayanasamy).
The government is in the process of providing Pongal gift hampers comprising of 10 items to people.
Minister of Public Works K Lakshminarayanan, Minister of State for Transport Chandrapriyanga, Government Whip AKD Arumugam. MLA KSP Ramesh, Director, Civil Supplies Department S Sakthivel were present.