Special Pongal market gets good response in Karaikal

The five-day special Pongal market near the Karaikal bus stand has drawn a good response from residents

The five-day special Pongal market near the Karaikal bus stand has drawn a good response from residents. Organised by the Karaikal Regional Development Department and the Puducherry State Rural Livelihood Mission, the market provides a platform for self-help groups (SHGs) to directly sell their products to the public.

Inaugurated on Thursday by Puducherry Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, P.R.N. Thirumurugan, the market aims at supporting SHGs and offer high-quality, locally produced items at reasonable prices. The initiative aims at supporting products made by SHGs.

The market features a wide range of items produced by 36 SHGs, including millets, dairy products, cold-pressed oils, pulses, groceries, flours for snacks, hand-pounded rice varieties, saris, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the market will run until January 13.

R. Thiyagu, a local resident, shared his experience, saying: “We could buy all the necessary Pongal items here. From rice to oil, almost everything is organically produced and available at low costs. This has been very helpful to us.”