The district saw beneficiaries lining up in batches throughout the day in front of PDS outlets across the district on Thursday to receive essential commodities and COVID-19 cash relief of ₹1000 announced by the Chief Minister.
Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development S.P. Velumani inaugurated the distribution here. As many as 9,27,455 rice card holders will receive the cash and the materials eligible for their card and 42,000 sugar card holders will receive the materials at 1418 outlets in the district.
Tokens have been distributed to all the beneficiaries and details of time and date when they can collect the cash and materials have also been specified in it.
The distribution starts at 9 a.m. every day and goes on till 6 p.m. For every two hours 25 people can come to the shop the specified time. Boxes or circles have drawn on the ground to mark one metre distance and the beneficiaries wait in the marked area. For those who are under home quarantine, the materials will be supplied at their door step. At Annamalai, five outlets come under the quarantined area. Hence, beneficiaries of these outlets will also get the materials at their doorstep, said an official.
Though there is two hours time for each batch, the distribution is getting over early. Hence the personnel at the outlets have been advised to call the next batch beneficiaries and distribute to them earlier than the given time.
The aim is to ensure that all beneficiaries get the materials and there is no crowding at the shops, the official added. Along with the materials, pamphlets are distributed to the beneficiaries to create awareness about COVID-19 and the precautions to be taken.
