Onam is one of the most important festivals in Kerala. The 10-day-long festival is celebrated with great joy and splendor across the state. This year the Kerala Government will begin the distribution of 90 lakh Onam food kits to ration card-holders from next week.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be inaugurating the mega distribution on Monday evening (22 August 2022) at the State Capital.
Supplyco which is entrusted with the delivery, has completed the packaging of over three-fourth of the kits to be delivered free of cost to ration card holders. It is important to mention that the kits would be distributed via the ration shops.
This year the kit comprises 14 products including a cloth bag. Pappad and jaggery have been replaced by cashew nuts and ghee. In 2021, the quality of the pappad and jaggery was not up to the mark hence this year the state government decided to replace them.
Cashew nuts will be obtained from the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation Limited (KSCDC) and the ghee will be of the Milma brand. The remaining food items will be of the Sabari brand of the Supplyco.
The kits are being prepared for distribution at 1,500 packing centres across the state. The cost or expenses incurred for each kit will be around Rs 434. It would be Rs 3 more on an average if the transportation costs & loading charges are also considered.
What will the Onam kit include?
Sugar - 1 kg
Toor dal - 250 gm
Unakkalari - 500 gm
Sabari coconut oil - 500 ml
Sabari chilli powder -100 gm
Sabari Tea -100 gm
Sabari turmeric powder - 100 gm
Green grams - 500 gm
Sarkara varatti -100 gm
Milma ghee - 50 ml
Cashew nuts - 50 gm
Cardamom - 20 gm
Salt - 1 kg
Cloth bag - 1
It must be noted that Thiruvonam, which marks the most significant day of the 10-day Onam festivities, this year falls on September 8.
