Pongal cash gift extended to Tiruvarur

The Tamil Nadu government Tuesday extended the scheme of Rs 1,000 cash gift for Pongal festival to Tiruvarur, a day after the Election Commission rescinded bypoll to the assembly constituency.

While annoucing the scheme last week, the government had said it would not be implemented in Tiruvarur in view of the model code of conduct in force there ahead of the originally scheduled January 28 bypoll.

"With the Election Commission having announced cancelling the bypoll, the government has ordered giving Rs 1000 each to 3.92 lakh families in Tiruvarur," an official release here said.

Bypoll to Tiruvarur was necessitated following the death of former chief minister M Karunanidhi on August 7 last year.

 

However, the EC on Monday called off the election after political parties wanted it to be put off citing the ongoing relief measures in Tiruvarur following cyclone Gaja.

Tiruvarur is one of the worst-hit districts in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu by to severe cyclonic storm in November last.

The AIADMK government on January 2 announced the Rs 1,000 cash and a gift hamper to every family with a ration card for the celebration of the harvest festival Pongal.