CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday said a delegation of all-party MPs from Tamil Nadu will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reiterate the Tamil Nadu government’s demand of Rs 37,907.19 crore for taking up restoration work in rain-affected districts. He said an appointment has been sought to meet the home minister in this regard.
The CM also expressed concern that even after central teams and union ministers assessed the damage caused by the heavy rain in Tamil Nadu, the Government of India (GoI) has not disbursed any relief assistance to the state. When natural calamities struck other states, the GoI had released relief from the National Disaster Response Fund within a short period, Stalin said.
The state’s total demand of Rs 37,907.19 crore includes Rs 19,692.67 crore for four northern districts — Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram, and Rs 18,214.52 crore for four southern districts — Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Tenkasi.
Immediately after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh undertook an aerial survey of the rain-affected areas on December 7, an inter-ministerial team assessed the damage in the northern districts on December 12 and 13. Later, another team assessed the damage in southern districts on December 20.
No relief assistance has been received from the union government: CM
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inspected rain damage in Thoothukudi district on December 26. When Prime Minister Modi visited Tamil Nadu on January 2, he expressed his concern over the damage caused by heavy rain in the state. “But despite all these, no relief assistance has been received from the Union government,” he said.
The CM also pointed out that the state government has already spent Rs 2,100 crore towards immediate rescue, relief and restoration work. The state had also announced Rs 1,000 crore comprehensive livelihood rehabilitation package for MSME units, small traders, farmers, fishermen and others, he said.
Got Rs 6.23L cr, but gave TN Rs 6.96L cr: FM
The centre was never hostile towards Tamil Nadu, Kerala or any other state on ensuring fund flow, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Responding to the criticism from the DMK that the centre was not disbursing funds, she said from 2014 to 2023 the centre received Rs 6.23 lakh crore as direct tax from TN but gave back Rs 6.96 lakh crore to TN during that period.