The cost of Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Sankranti gift is Rs 370.41 crore. He is giving away a gift kit to the BPL families in the state to celebrate Sankranti festival. While there is nothing new in the gift pack, it is being delivered to the every household having ration card as Chandranna Sankranti Kanuka.

Government is creating a hype around the gift as if the people are going to celebrate the Sankranti festival for the first in their life, and the poor of Andhra Pradesh would have the misfortune of not celebrating the festival if Naidu is not there around as chief minister. Under the program, the government is giving six essential commodities needed to celebrate the festival in a sealed bag on which pictures of chief minister Naidu and civil supplies minister Paritala Suneeta is printed prominently.

The gift bag contains Redgram dal (half kg), palm oil (half liter), Chana dal (half kg), Wheat flour (1 kg), Ghee(100ml) and Jaggery (half kg). The program was launched in 2015 with Sankranti. At that time it cost Rs 287 crore to distribute the gift pack.

Later, it was extended Muslim festivals and Christmas as well. During the distribution of the Christmas gifts differences arose between Palle Raghunatha Reddy and Parital Suneetha. Even though Palle is minister for minority affairs, his photo was printed on the gift bag meant to distribute to Christians.

According to sources in the government chief minister Naidu may start distribution formally during proposed Janmabhumi program scheduled to begin in the first week of January 2016. The program, this time around, is concentrating mainly on two issues, streamlining the public distribution system and curbing the call money.

Opposition parties however are critical of Naidu for exploiting the supply of regular ration for political gain.