PUDUCHERRY: Chief minister N Rangasamy on Monday launched the distribution of free Diwali grocery kits worth Rs 700 each to eligible family ration cardholders in the Union territory of Puducherry.




Rangasamy formally handed over the Diwali kits to beneficiaries at a fair-price shop in Thilaspet, in the presence of civil supplies and consumer affairs minister V P Sivakolundhu.




The initiative aims at supporting 3.5 lakh eligible family ration cardholders, excluding govt employees and honorary cardholders.




Each festive hamper contains five essential grocery items - 2kg of sugar, 2kg of sunflower oil, 1kg of chana dal, 500g of rava, and 500g of maida.




The govt procured the essential commodity hampers through Confed (Puducherry State Co-operative Consumers' Federation Limited). There are 2.66 lakh family ration cardholders in Puducherry, 60,389 in Karaikal, 15,588 in Yanam and 7,942 in Mahe.