CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has sought Rs 3,758.55 crore as Central assistance towards relief and restoration activities in Cyclone Nivar-affected districts, including Rs 650 crore for temporary relief and restoration.
The state government expects funds from National Disaster Relief Fund and from the Centre to take up temporary and permanent relief and restoration. “In a memorandum to the Union home ministry a few days ago, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami sought the assistance to take up restoration activities,” Revenue and disaster management minister R B Udhayakumar told TOI. An inter-ministerial Central team led by Union home ministry joint secretary Ashutosh Agnihotri is on a four-day visit to the state and commenced the work with a briefing by the state government in Secretariat.
The team comprises senior officials from agriculture and farmers welfare, road, transport and highways, finance, power, rural development, fisheries and water resources. A team is scheduled to visit the affected areas of South Chennai, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram on Sunday and move onto Puducherry. After visiting the affected areas in Puducherry on Monday, the team will visit Cuddalore and Villupuram. Another team will visit north Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram on Sunday and visit affected areas in Vellore, Tirupattur districts on Monday. A final briefing session will take place on Tuesday.