Pongal is an auspicious festival in the south of India, especially in Tamil Nadu, where the people offer their thanks to the Sun God for agricultural abundance. Pongal essentially is a multi-day harvest festival. It is a festival that brings people together from various sectors and economic strata of society. It brings in a wave of enthusiasm and hope among people – things that might just be needed to people who have been affected by the ills of the pandemic that recently struck us all worldwide.

In order to rejuvenate a million dispirited souls in the state of Tamil Nadu and to enable them to enjoy the festivities with the same gusto, as they would have in a pre-covid world, the Tamil Nadu government has come up with an innovative scheme – the Tamil Nadu Free Dhoti and Saree scheme.

Need for the Dhoti Saree scheme

For the rural population in Tamil Nadu, weaving is considered to be one of the largest occupations after agriculture. The ultimate agenda of the scheme is to benefit the poor and the main objective stands to be providing higher employment opportunities for the millions who have struggled to make ends meet in the last couple of months. This scheme not only encourages the handloom sector, but it also makes provisions for workers to work in the power loom sector as well.

This will usher in a new wave of much needed employment in Tamil Nadu.

The intention of the scheme is to offer dhotis and sarees to the poor and this started off as an initiative all the way back in 2003.

Features of the Dhoti Saree scheme in Tamil Nadu

  1. Several people across the state of Tamil Nadu and even the rest of the world lost their jobs. Therefore, with the Dhoti Saree scheme, the government intends to help the poor manage to make ends meet by giving financial help to the poor.
  2. Under the Tamil Nadu Hamper, the Tamil Nadu government will provide financial assistance of ₹2,500 to each of the rice card holders.
  3. According to the recorded statistics, there are roughly 2.06 crore beneficiaries in the state of Tamil Nadu who have a rice card and will employ from the implementation of the gift hamper.
  4. The distribution will work out for the poor in Tamil Nadu from the 4th of January 2021.

In conclusion

With the ills of Covid still far from receding, the people of Tamil Nadu who have lost their means of income will now get a chance to earn income by weaving sarees and dhotis for their poor counterparts. This will not only help spread the cheer among the dispirited people of Tamil Nadu but will also rejuvenate a sense of unity and oneness.

Under this scheme, the poor will benefit through either employment or the hamper given to them which would mean that they will surely have a happy Pongal coming their way this January.

The beneficiary just needs to procure a rice card to avail of the benefits offered by the Tamil Nadu government.