Tamil Nadu's Pongal Gift: ₹3,000 Cash Sparks ₹5,000 Demand from Opposition

• Tamil Nadu government to distribute Pongal gift packages and ₹3,000 cash to over 2.22 crore ration cardholders, including Sri Lankan Tamil families.
• Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will inaugurate the scheme in Chennai, with distribution starting from ration shops across the state.
• Each package contains 1 kg raw rice, 1 kg sugar, a whole sugarcane, and the cash assistance.
• Opposition Leader Edappadi Palaniswami and other parties demand the cash amount be increased to ₹5,000, citing Stalin's past demands.
• The scheme, including cash, addresses public expectation ahead of state assembly elections, with distribution continuing until January 13, 2026 (as per article) with police security.

Why It Matters: Tamil Nadu's ₹3,000 Pongal cash gift faces opposition demands for ₹5,000, highlighting political dynamics.