TNCC president K.S. Alagiri on Sunday said the Centre was trying to project an already-sanctioned fund of ₹450 crore towards flood mitigation projects as having been sanctioned after surveying the impact of cyclone Michaung.
In a statement, he said the Centre had set aside ₹7,532 crore towards disaster relief for 22 States, of which only ₹450 crore was set aside for Tamil Nadu. “Tamil Nadu experienced a rainfall that wasn’t seen in 70 years, but we haven’t received financial assistance of even one paisa. The ₹450-crore assistance, which has been announced as if it was after cyclone Michaung, was sanctioned already.... Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, both ruled by the BJP, have been given ₹812 crore and ₹1420.80 crore respectively,” Mr. Alagiri contended.
He questioned how Uttar Pradesh, which contributes lesser tax revenue to the Centre, could get more funds than Tamil Nadu, which contributes significantly more. “A sum of ₹2,500 crore was sanctioned towards implementing flood mitigation projects in cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad as a part of Vision 2047. After a meeting with the State Disaster Management Ministers, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sanctioned ₹561.29 crore to implement flood mitigation projects. Hence, this amount is to implement projects to prevent flooding in the future. This truth is being obfuscated,” he said.
The Congress further charged that BJP State president K. Annamalai had been pursuing ‘Goebbels’ propaganda’ in this regard.
Mr. Alagiri said though Chief Minister M.K. Stalin sought an interim relief of ₹5,060 crore, only ₹450 crore had been received.
