TIRUPPUR: With Pongal a week away, only 50% of sarees and dhotis, meant for free distribution to PDS rice card holders, has arrived in the district. However, officials said the full stock will arrive in two days.
As per official sources, Tiruppur civil supplies department has given a list of 5.58 lakh beneficiaries for sarees and 5.74 for dhotis. However, only 2.79 lakh sarees and 2.43 lakh dhotis have arrived at the godowns.
Raju (name changed) a resident of Avinashi said, “I reached out to the PDS shop in my area for saree and dhoti and found around five dozen sarees and dhotis stocked there. When I questioned the salesman, he said more stocks will be arriving in the upcoming days, but I doubt if all card holders would get them.”
Many residents in Uthukuli, Udumalaipet, Palladam, Dharapuram and Madathukulam taluks raised similar complaints.
CITU-Cooperative Societies Workers Association (Tiruppur) secretary K Gowthaman said, “We have received Pongal provisions such as rice, sugar, and sugarcane. But, we didn’t receive adequate sarees and dhotis.”
Speaking to TNIE, a top official from Tiruppur District Administration said, “We have informed superiors in Chennai about the issue and it will be resolved soon. We believe there are some logistics issues related to the supply of these items. Within two days, all these items will be stocked and VAOs will distribute them to the people.”