Chennai: State govt will distribute single-spread (four-muzham) veshtis and zari saris through ration shops for Pongal 2027, instead of the double-fold veshtis distributed under the scheme for the past 12 years, handlooms minister Vijay Balaji told the assembly on Monday.Responding to a calling attention motion moved by DMK’s Austin and KMDK’s K Nithiyanandhan on the Pongal free dhoti-saree scheme, Balaji said the govt had sought feedback from people across all districts before deciding on the new designs.“People told us they did not want double-fold veshtis. The chief minister has instructed us to provide what people like, without compromising on quality,” he said.Austin, however, raised concerns over the quality of the shorter veshtis, saying weavers had complained that they were cheaper and inferior in quality. He also questioned why the govt was procuring “low-quality veshtis by paying weavers lower wages”.Balaji then challenged the opposition to wear the double-fold veshtis to assembly after Pongal. “TVK ministers and MLAs will come wearing the single-spread ones. Let the people decide which is better,” he said.
