CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced a Rs 1,000 crore comprehensive relief package for various sections of people in eight districts -- Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari -- who were affected by heavy rains.
In a statement here, the Chief Minister said a decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting held on Friday at the secretariat.
The CM said the state government would rebuild the fully damaged houses and repair the partially damaged houses in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts. In the districts of Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, Rs 4 lakh will be given to rebuild the fully damaged houses and Rs 2 lakh will be given to repair the partially damaged houses. "In all, 4,577 new houses will be rebuilt and 9,975 houses will be repaired at a total cost of Rs 385 crore, through the Rural Development Department. Detailed guidelines for this scheme will be issued soon," he added.
Rs 250 crore will be given to farmers as relief assistance in eight districts where standing crops were damaged in 2.64 lakh hectares, due to floods. The farmers who have faced crop loss will be given new crop loans on a priority basis through cooperative societies and for buying agricultural equipment.
In Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts, the alluvial deposits on agricultural lands caused by the floods would be removed by the State Agricultural Engineering Department free of cost. For this purpose, equipment will be brought from other districts.
Small traders, owners of small shops and street vendors in Chennai, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts have been affected severely by the floods. A special loan scheme will be implemented for them. Under this scheme, loans up to Rs 10,000 will be given at 4% interest while loans up to Rs 1 lakh will be given at 6% interest. The guidelines for this will be issued soon.
The Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation will extend loans to the tune of Rs 100 crore to the MSME units affected by floods in the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi. A maximum of Rs 3 lakh will be given as loans at 6% interest. The MSME units can repay this loan in 18 monthly installments with a grace period of three months. Through this, 3,300 MSME units are expected to benefit.
The government will take steps to provide new loans to the tune of Rs 350 crore to 4,000 Women's Self-Help Groups in all the eight districts affected by the floods. Besides, the loan repayment schedule for already availed loans would be restructured in consultation with the bankers' committee. Besides, in consultation with these committees, a decision on extending the period for repaying the loans availed by the people affected by the floods would be taken.
The Chief Minister also announced that Rs 15 crore would be disbursed as relief assistance to the 4,928 fishing boats and fishing equipment damaged in the floods to the fishermen in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts.
In all, around 17,000 cattle and more than one lakh chickens died due to floods. Compensation for dead livestock will be up to Rs 37,500 per cow and buffalo, Rs 4,000 for a goat and Rs 100 per chicken. Loans up to Rs 1.5 lakh will be given to buy cattle.
An additional livelihood relief assistance of Rs 3,000 will be given to salt pan workers who are members of the welfare board. Fresh certificates to school and college students will be given if they lose the original certificates in the floods. Students of all government and government-aided schools will get fresh textbooks if they lose them in the floods. For the students of private schools also, textbooks will be given depending upon the requirement.
The Chief Minister also said that for those who have lost the certificates issued by government departments, documents, ration cards, driving licenses, voters' identity cards, Aadhaar cards, etc, fresh ones will be issued through special camps to be conducted from Monday onwards.
So far, 3,046 vehicles damaged in the floods in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts were brought for repair, and of them, 917 were already repaired and repair works are on for the rest.