Tamil Nadu CM Vijay launches cake and sweet pongal distribution for students
The state government sanctioned Rs 9.27 crore to provide cakes and greeting cards to over 61 lakh beneficiaries across Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launched a statewide initiative on Friday to distribute cakes, greeting cards, and sweet pongal to students to mark Children’s Day. According to The Hindu, the programme targets students in government and government-aided schools, as well as children at anganwadi centres.
This marks the first time the state government has distributed cakes to schoolchildren for the occasion.
The initiative reached 61,84,566 beneficiaries, including students, teachers, and non-teaching staff in primary, middle, high, and higher secondary schools. The state sanctioned Rs 9.27 crore for the distribution of 45-gram cakes and greeting cards. Additionally, sweet pongal was distributed to 11,11,022 children aged between two and six at anganwadi centres.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the programme at Madumanagar Chennai Corporation Middle School in Kolathur. During the visit, Vijay distributed cakes and greeting cards to students, which featured the message, "All is well, be confident." In Mayiladuthurai, Salem, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchi, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, the Nilgiris, Erode, Namakkal, and Karur, students received two 45-gram cake packets each.
The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) procured the cakes from four manufacturers through tenders. The Food Safety Department assessed the quality of the cakes before distribution. Coordination for the programme involved Chief Educational Officers, District Educational Officers, Block Educational Officers, and Regional Managers of the TNCSC.