Latest News | Pongal Gift for Poor Women Announced

Puducherry, Dec 29 (PTI) Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy announced on Thursday that the government would provide every month an assistance of Rs 1,000 to every woman from poor families under below povertyline.

Also Read | United Furniture Layoffs: Owner David Belford, Who Abruptly Fired 2,700 Employees in Single Night, Calls Move 'Agonising'.

Also Read | Enzyme That Protects Against Viruses Can Drive Cancer Evolution Towards Greater Malignancy: Study.

Addressing reporters here, the Chief Minister said the assistance would be given from January. Each of the families holding red colour ration cards would get Rs 2,400 while those coming under above poverty line category holding yellow colour ration cards would get Rs 1,200 and the amount would be credited to bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

`This is a highlight of Pongal gift from the government`, he said.

Gift hampers for Pongal festival worth Rs 470 would also be distributed to all families, the Chief Minister said.

He said that as was promised on the floor of the Assembly in the recent budget session the government would provide free laptops and bicycles to students.

On Statehood, the Chief Minister said, "Statehood is necessary and the Centre has been persuaded on several occasions to concede the demand for Statehood for Puducherry."

He said the government would again bring in a resolution to reiterate the plea for Statehood in the next session of the territorial Assembly.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)