Transport Minister R.S. Raja Kannappan on Tuesday said that men might use the cash, if given as part of Pongal gift hamper, to buy liquor and could not have helped the women to celebrate the Pongal festival.
Joining issue with AIADMK leaders who have criticised the State government for not giving cash as done earlier by the previous government, he said that the men might spend the cash at liquor shops.
“It would not have helped the women in making Pongal. Distribution of grocery items and condiments will be of great use to women in making Pongal,” he said.
He said the people belonging to oppressed classes, backward classes and minorities should continue to support the government. Women had voted in large numbers to the DMK to form the government.
He was speaking after inaugurating the distribution of Pongal gift hampers at Paramakudi on Tuesday.
A total of 3,89,784 family card holders would get the gift hampers through 558 full time ration shops and 217 part-time ration shops. All rice cardholders and Antyodaya Anna Yojana rice cardholders, ration card holders of police personnel, old age pensioners and inmates of Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation camps would get the gift hampers.
Collector Shankar Lal Kumawat, MLAs Kadhar Batcha Muthuramalingam (Ramanathapuram), S. Murugesan (Paramakudi), Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Rajendra Prasad, Revenue Divisional Officer, Paramakudi, R. Murugan and District Supply Officer, Maragathanathan were present.