New Delhi: The government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that Rs 1200 crore (Rs 900 crore Central Share + Rs 300 crore State Share) has been allocated to Tamil Nadu for the financial year 2023–24 under SDRF.
In a written reply to a question raised by M. Shanmugam and Vaiko, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, “The first installment of Rs 450 crore of Central Share was released on July 10, 2023. Apart from this, in order to extend financial support during cyclone ‘Michaung’, the second installment of SDRF amounting to Rs 450 crore was released in advance on 12.12.2023 to the State Government”.
In addition, the state government has reported an opening balance of Rs 813.15 crore in its SDRF account as of April 1, 2023. As such, an amount of Rs 13.15 crore is available in the SDRF account of the state for the relief operations, he informed.
Four districts in north Tamil Nadu were affected due to heavy rainfall accompanied by Cyclonic Storm “Michael” on December 3rd and 4th, 2023. Subsequently, due to heavy rainfall from December 17–18, 2023, four southern districts of Tamil Nadu were affected by floods and inundations.
The Minister stated that in the instant cases, even before the receipt of memoranda from the State Government of Tamil Nadu, an IMCT was constituted by the Home Ministry, which visited the cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ affected areas of the state from December 11th to 14th, 2023. In the case of floods caused by heavy rainfall in the southern part of the state, another IMCT was constituted by MHA, which visited the affected areas from December 19 to 22, 2023, for the assessment of damages.
The Tamil Nadu government has submitted two memoranda seeking additional financial assistance, one for cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ and the other for floods caused by heavy rainfall in the southern parts of the state.
After receipt of the memorandum, IMCT visited the affected areas of southern Tamil Nadu from January 11 to 14, 2024, again for an on-the-spot realistic assessment of damages. Upon receipt of reports from the IMCT, further financial assistance under the NDRF is considered as per the laid-down procedure, as the Upper House was informed.
