Puducherry Lt Governor Celebrates Pongal; Government Announces Festival Benefits

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan and his wife celebrated the Pongal festival at Lok Niwas, participating in traditional rituals like cooking rice in mud pots and feeding cows. The event included cultural programmes and was attended by the Chief Minister, ministers, and officials. The government announced a Rs 3,000 Pongal gift for each family under the Public Distribution System, credited via Direct Benefit Transfer to 3.47 lakh families, alongside free distribution of a commodity package worth Rs 750 to ration cardholders. Festival-related commodity sales were notably high.