Tamil Nadu’s additional report for more Central funds

It may be recalled that the CM had already sent a flood damage report amounting to Rs 8481 crore to the Centre based on which the union government announced the first instalment of Rs 940 crore. The second instalment of Rs.1000 crore was announced by PM Modi after an aerial tour of the devastated areas a few days ago.

The demand for additional funding from the Centre arose when Chennai and neighbouring Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Cuddalore districts were battered by torrential rain resulted in large scale flooding of residential areas and loss of lives and damage to property. Though relief poured in from various parts of the country it was humanitarian in nature whereas the state needed additional resources to restore damaged infrastructure. Medical check ups in relief camps which were set up in various parts of the city and affected districts resulted in the administration avoiding any epidemics.

Responding to a letter from the CM, the Centre termed the TN floods as a “calamity of severe nature.” The centre accepting this nomenclature ensures release of additional funds from the National Disaster Response Fund. 

Otherwise, release of additional funds by the Centre would not be possible and the state would have been forced to spend from its own funds. It is now expected that Jayalalithaa will again write to the centre seeking additional funds along with the supplementary flood damage report.