Tamil Nadu could sustain a revenue loss of about ₹85,000 crore due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, and the State has already incurred a loss of about ₹35,000 crore, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said in Tiruchi on Friday.

A month ago, Mr Palaniswami, citing a Finance Department estimate, had put the anticipated revenue loss at ₹35,000 crore. The estimate has now more than doubled. “Revenue receipts have dried up over the past two months. With industries and businesses remaining shut, we would sustain a loss of about ₹12,000-13,000 crore a month as per the Finance Secretary’s projections,” he told journalists.

The government would extend whatever assistance possible to the people, taking into consideration the financial position, he said, answering a query on the feasibility of reducing the tuition fee in educational institutions.

The Chief Minister was on a visit to the city to review the measures taken to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus and the progress in executing Kudimaramathu work in Tiruchi district.

Decision on lockdown

Contending that the State government was making strenuous efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Mr. Palaniswami said that a decision on the extending the lockdown beyond June 30 or expanding it to other districts would be taken based on the inputs of the Expert Committee and the Centre’s decision.

“Already we have had a discussion with the District Collectors. The Expert Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday,” he pointed out.

The Chief Minister did not see any need for convening an all-party meeting to discuss the issue, reiterating that it was essentially a medical issue and the government was acting as per the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, Union Ministry of Health and Indian Council of Medical Research. “It is not an inter-State issue for political parties to discuss and decide,” he said.

He also observed that until a drug was found to cure the disease, people would have to adhere to WHO norms such as wearing face masks, maintaining physical distance and hand hygiene.

Cooperative banks

Mr. Palaniswami said that more details were awaited on the Centre’s decision to bring urban cooperative banks under the Reserve Bank of India. “However, we had already written to the Centre seeking continuation of the status quo,” he said.

Water and power

Answering another query, Mr. Palaniswami said the Public Works Department would gradually step up the quantum of release from Mettur Dam for irrigation, depending on the requirement of farmers in the delta. This year, water has been released as the water level stood at 100 feet and above for a sustained period, he pointed out. Hoping for a bountiful monsoon, he observed that the monsoon was yet to turn active over Karnataka. Steps would be taken to get Tamil Nadu’s share of water in the Cauvery through the Cauvery Water Management Authority, he said.

The Public Works Department and the district collectors have been instructed to complete Kudimaramathu work on time. He pointed out that the work is being executed through the water users associations and any hitch in executing some work may have been due to a delay in forming water users associations.

The Chief Minister also categorically asserted that the State government would continue the free power scheme for farmers.

Later in the day, the Chief Minister inspected the progress of the construction of a new barrage across Kollidam River at Mukkombu, where the old British-built barrage had collapsed in August 2018. About 40% of the construction work has been completed so far, he said.