Chennai, Jan 29 (IANS): Tamil Nadu's Textiles and Handlooms Minister R. Gandhi on Sunday promised that the Pongal dhotis and saris would be distributed to the beneficiaries by February itself.

He said that as usual the distribution has started before Pongal and would complete in February, adding that there were instances of Pongal dhotis and saris being distributed by March (in 2013) and even August (in 2014).

He was responding to a statement by former Chief Minister and expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam that the distribution of Pongal saris and dhotis was not completed even after 10 days of the festival, and urging the Chief Minister to distribute the dhotis and saris through ration shops.

Gandhi said that the administrative sanction for implementing the scheme at a cost of Rs 487 crore for 2023 had been issued as early as September 2022.

He said that the state Revenue Department had submitted a requirement list of 177.64 lakh saris and 177.23 lakh dhotis, and orders for procurement were issued in September 2022 and procurement began in November 2022.