DMK government looting under the pretext of Pongal gift hampers, charges Palaniswami

The AIADMK leader alleged that items in the hamper had been over-priced, procured from north India despite being made in TN, and that many residents were not receiving all 21 items they were supposed to

AIADMK co-coordinator and Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami charged that the DMK government had looted, under the pretext of Pongal gift hampers, and said that the public has not benefited from this scheme.

Talking to presspersons at the AIADMK party office in Omalur on Tuesday, Mr. Palaniswami charged that corruption to the tune of ₹30 crore had taken place in the procurement of sugarcane alone, for the gift hampers. He said that while the government had determined ₹33 as the price for the cane, it was being procured from farmers for a low price of ₹15-20. He alleged that ₹60 is the determined price of the cloth bag provided in the hamper, while its actual price would be only ₹30.

Mr. Palaniswami alleged that poor quality goods are being provided in the gift hampers and it they were procured from traders from North India for commissions. He added that not all rice card holders are getting the 21 items in the gift hamper, some get 15 items, some 18, he charged.