Overview
- Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s government confirmed the cash gift alongside the traditional hamper for rice-ration-card households and residents of Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps.
- Distribution is slated to be inaugurated on January 8 through PDS outlets, with the government targeting statewide completion by January 14.
- Each beneficiary will receive 1 kg rice, 1 kg sugar and a full sugarcane, plus a dhoti and a saree, in addition to the ₹3,000 cash assistance.
- An earlier ₹248 crore allocation covered procurement of the essentials, while the combined outlay for cash, hampers and clothing is estimated at ₹6,936.17 crore.
- Opposition parties including AIADMK, PMK and TVK called the move election-driven, as the CPI urged extending the cash benefit to new ration card applicants.