Pongal gift hamper 2026: Tamil Nadu to give Rs 3,000 cash & special package to ration cardholders

Chennai: In a major pre-festival announcement ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the Tamil Nadu government is set to provide substantial financial and material support to ration cardholders for the upcoming Pongal celebration. Under the scheme, eligible households will receive ₹3,000 in cash along with a specially curated Pongal gift hamper.

The distribution is scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the second week of January. To streamline the process, token distribution will begin in the first week of January, with ration shop employees conducting door-to-door delivery of tokens. Beneficiaries can then collect both the cash and the hamper from their designated ration shops on the date specified. 

How to Get Tamil Nadu's ₹3,000 Pongal Cash & Gift Hamper: Token Dates, Collection Guide

The 2026 Pongal hamper is reported to be richly stocked, set to include essential festive items such as:

Authorities aim to ensure that the majority of ration cardholders receive both the cash aid and the gift package by January 10th, well in time for the harvest festival.

2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

The announcement comes amid active election preparations by political parties in the state. Earlier today, the DMK’s election manifesto drafting committee, headed by Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi, held discussions at the party headquarters in Chennai. The move to provide cash alongside the hamper marks an expansion of last year’s welfare measure, which included only the gift package.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has raised the stakes, demanding that the government increase the cash assistance to Rs 5,000 for each ration cardholding family.