A delegation of MPs from Tamil Nadu belonging to the DMK and its allied parties in the State met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Saturday and urged him for early release of the funds sought by State government towards flood relief.
The memorandum submitted by the MPs reiterated the demand to release ₹37, 907.21 crore, which included ₹15,645.59 crore for temporary restoration and ₹22,261.62 crore for permanent restoration works. Of the total funds sought, ₹19,692.69 crore was for Cyclone Michaung-induced damage in Chennai and three northern districts in the first week of December, and ₹18,214.52 crore was for the destruction caused by torrential downpour in the southern districts in the third week of December.
While the State government undertook immediate rescue and relief efforts using its own financial resources and the funds available with the State Disaster Response Fund, the magnitude of these disasters was “colossal” and, therefore, full restoration and rehabilitation cannot be done without adequate support from the National Disaster Response Fund, the MPs said.
The delegation was led by DMK parliamentary party leader T.R. Baalu. Vaiko, MDMK general secretary; K. Jayakumar of Congress; K. Subbarayan of CPI; Su. Venkatesan of CPI(M); K. Navas Kani of Indian Union Muslim League; and D. Ravikumar and A.K.P. Chinnaraj, DMK MP, were a part of it.
