Tamil Nadu Secures Rs 522.34 Crore in Extra Central Aid for Natural Disasters

Synopsis

The Union government has approved an allocation of Rs 522.34 crore for Tamil Nadu to aid recovery from recent natural calamities, with additional funds also directed to Puducherry. Union Minister L. Murugan reaffirmed the government's commitment to support affected states.

Key Takeaways

Rs 522.34 crore allocated to Tamil Nadu for disaster relief.
Puducherry receives Rs 33.06 crore as part of the relief package.
High-Level Committee approved Rs 1,280.35 crore in assistance for multiple states.
Inter-Ministerial Central Teams deployed immediately post-disaster.
Preliminary estimate for Tamil Nadu’s recovery stands at Rs 2,475 crore.

Chennai, April 5 (NationPress) The Union government has allocated an additional Rs 522.34 crore to Tamil Nadu in order to mitigate the destruction caused by recent natural disasters.

The Union Territory of Puducherry has also been granted Rs 33.06 crore as part of this relief initiative.

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan, emphasized that the Union government remains steadfast in supporting state administrations during natural calamities and disasters.

“The High-Level Committee (HLC), led by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, sanctioned a total of Rs 1,280.35 crore in additional Central assistance for the states of Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. These areas have been severely affected by floods, flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides, and cyclonic storms during 2024,” he stated.

The Union Minister went on to explain that out of the total sum, Rs 1,247.29 crore will be allocated to the three states from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), subject to a 50 percent adjustment of their respective State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) opening balances.

“This funding is in addition to the routine allocations already made under the SDRF and the Union Territory Disaster Response Fund (UTDRF),” he noted.

He further mentioned that in the fiscal year 2024–25, the Central Government has disbursed Rs 20,264.40 crore to 28 states through SDRF and Rs 5,160.76 crore to 19 states via NDRF.

“Moreover, Rs 4,984.25 crore has been allocated from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 19 states, and Rs 719.72 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to eight states,” the minister added.

He confirmed that Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) were deployed to the disaster-affected regions immediately after the incidents, even prior to receiving formal requests from the respective state governments.

Previously, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an interim assistance of Rs 2,000 crore from the NDRF along with further support based on the central team's evaluation.

He elaborated on the extensive devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal, which unleashed heavy rainfall and strong winds across the state.

According to state government reports, the cyclone resulted in the loss of 12 lives and flooded over 2.11 lakh hectares of agricultural and horticultural fields.

In addition, it inflicted considerable damage to infrastructure, demolishing 1,649 km of electric lines, 23,664 electric poles, 997 transformers, 9,576 km of roads, 1,847 culverts, and 417 water tanks.

The districts of Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Kallakurichi experienced over 50 cm of rainfall in a single day—equivalent to a full season’s average—leading to unprecedented flooding. The cyclone affected nearly 69 lakh families and displaced around 1.5 crore individuals.

Tamil Nadu's initial assessment indicates that a sum of Rs 2,475 crore is required for temporary restoration and rehabilitation efforts.