PUDUCHERRY: The air of uncertainty over Pongal gifts has been cleared with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Friday granting approval to the Puducherry government's proposal.
Bedi approved expenditure sanction of Rs 3.49 crore towards grant of Pongal festival items to about 1.75 lakh BPL ration card holders through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) method. According to a Raj Nivas release on Saturday, the Civil Supplies Department will release the cash equivalent to Rs 200 directly into the bank account of each BPL card holder.
Earlier, on December 20, the Lt Governor had accorded approval for an expenditure sanction of Rs 54 crore in lieu of free rice for three months under the UT run scheme of free distribution of food grains. 1.75 lakh BPL families will get Rs 2200 directly into their bank account and 1.5 lakh APL families will get Rs 1000 each into their bank account.
The Civil Supplies Department has already released Rs 2200 to each of the BPL families and there was a delay in releasing the fund into the bank account of APL families as the department is in the process of eliminating Income Tax payees, GST assessees and central government employees from getting the benefit.
The Lt Governor has now directed the chief secretary to coordinate with concerned authorities and establishments of the central government and obtain the required details and update the APL families within eight weeks. In the meantime, she has also directed the civil supplies department to immediately release Rs 1000 each into the account of APL card holders as per the available data to avoid any further delay.