Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said free grocery kits will be distributed to all ration card holders in the state ahead of the Onam festivities commencing late next month. Around 88 lakh ration card holders are expected to benefit.

The distribution will begin by the last week of August. The total expense for the distribution of free Onam kit is estimated at Rs 450 crore.

The kit will include 11 items. In addition, 10 kg rice will be distributed in August at Rs 15 per kg rate to non-priority sections, the chief minister said.

The grocery kit will contain sugar, green gram, kidney beans, jaggery, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, sambar powder, coconut oil, sunflower oil, pappad, vermicelli palada and broken wheat.

During the COVID-19 lockdown period, the government had distributed a kit containing 17 items. Supplyco has started hiring buildings for storing items needed for the kit.

The government will also distribute free food kits and vegetable kits in COVID containment zones and areas affected by sea erosion soon.

Thiru Onam, which marks the most important day of the 10-day Onam festivities, falls on August 31 this year. The harvest festival coincides with the New Year as per the traditional solar Malayalam calendar called Kollavarsham which has been in existence since 825 AD.