Ockhi fund: Governor seeks Rs 5,255 crore from Centre

He sought Rs 5,255 crore as relief fund after Cyclone Ockhi ravaged the state and hoped that the Centre would otherwise disburse funds through the Fifteenth Finance Commission among all states equitably.

The Governor’s maiden speech in the Assembly was briefly interrupted by the Leader of Opposition MK Stalin who wanted to raise certain issues and was joined by his party co-legislators. Purohit urged Stalin to return to his seat, prompting the latter to lead a boycott.

Continuing his address, Purohit lauded the state’s efforts to provide relief after Ockhi hit the shores. He sought that the Centre check the Central Team’s report that studied the impact of the cyclone in the state and sought a relief package of Rs 5,255 crore, of which Rs 4,854 crore would be spent for permanent restoration and Rs 401 crore towards temporary restoration.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting the cyclone-ravaged Kanniyakumari district.

The Governor also asked the Centre to amend provisions of the National Medical Commission Bill, form Cauvery Management Board, bring perpetrators of genocide and war crimes on innocent Sri Lankan Tamils to justice, and abrogate the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan accord (retrieve Katchatheevu), among others.

He stated that the state had approved conversion of ‘Veda Nilayam’ into a memorial besides building a grand memorial for late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa along Marina beach.