10 lakh BPL Muslim families in AP to receive gift on Eid-ul-Fitr

Hyderabad, Jun 15: The AP government has decided to give gift hampers to about 10 lakh BPL Muslim families in the state on the eve of Id-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan. The special Ramzan gift is expected to cost the state exchequer about Rs 60 crore.

The "Ramzan Tohfa" consisting of five kg wheat flour, two kg sugar, one kg vermicelli and 100 gram ghee will be handed over to BPL card holders from Muslim community from July 1 to 7 through ration shops across the state. The cabinet sub-committee, which met on Tuesday, formally approved the proposal and asked the civil supplies department to make arrangements for the distribution.

Not leaving any opportunity to promote his name through gift hampers on festive occasions, AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has earlier spent over Rs 600 crore on distribution of gifts to members of different communities. It all started in January, 2015, when Naidu announced Sankranthi Kanuka (Pongal gift) to about 1.6 crore BPL card holders. It was called 'Chandranna Sankranthi Kanuka'. The gift pack worth over Rs 280 was distributed by civil supplies dealers across the state. The packet contained half a kilo each of red gram, palmolein oil and jaggery, one kilo each of whole bengal gram, wheat flour and 100 gm of ghee. This was given free in addition to the regular items supplied through public distribution system. Later, Naidu announced Chandranna Christmas Kanuka for Christians with white ration cards. Under this scheme, half a kilogram of red gram and jaggery, half litre of palm oil, one kilo each of bengal gram and atta along with 100 ml of ghee was gifted to Christians. For this, the civil supplies department spent over Rs 35 crore in 2015. Then in 2016, the TDP government announced second round of Sankranthi gifts at a cost of over Rs 320 crore.

Incidentally, the state government is reeling under severe financial crunch. In fact, the government had directed all departments to stop asking for funds except to pay the salaries of employees. Earlier, the state government put certain restrictions on foreign trips by officers, ministers and legislators, and imposed ban on business class travel, ceiling on hotel expenses and use of luxury cars for official trips.