Chennai, Nov 4:
The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday commenced the statewide distribution of free dhotis and sarees to beneficiaries of the Old Age Pension (OAP) scheme ahead of the upcoming Deepavali festival. The social welfare initiative, executed through the Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department, is aimed at extending festive support to destitute senior citizens and economically vulnerable elders.
Department officials confirmed that lakhs of handloom and powerloom dhotis and sarees procured specifically for Deepavali 2026 have been successfully dispatched from production weaving centres to primary agricultural cooperative credit societies and fair price shops across all 38 revenue districts. Fair price shop personnel have been directed to distribute the clothing items along with monthly pension disbursements without delay.
Cooperation Department monitors and district supply officers have been tasked with overseeing logistics and distribution counters to prevent stock diversions or procedural delays. Dedicated distribution queues and doorstep delivery protocols have been instructed for frail and bedridden pensioners who cannot personally visit fair price outlets.
Weaving federations and handloom cooperative societies across Tamil Nadu have welcomed the timely procurement and distribution rollout, noting that the seasonal scheme not only provides dignified clothing assistance to the impoverished elderly but also provides steady employment and wage security to thousands of traditional handloom weavers across the state.