TN demands Rs.15,000 crore for cyclone relief

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought a Central assistance of Rs.15,000 crore for the 12 districts hit by a cyclone which claimed 63 lives and destroyed crops and plantations.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, he said he urged for an immediate relief of Rs.1,500 crore and a permanent relief of Rs.15,000 crore for the state. 

The severe cyclone Gaja crossed Tamil Nadu coast on November 16 leaving 63 people and thousands of livestock dead and damaging properties, standing crops, coconut groves, banana plantations and power distribution infrastructure in several districts.

Palaniswami said a memorandum detailing the devastation left by the cyclone has been submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also urged the prime minister to send a central team to make an assessment of the damage so that the Centre could extend aid to the state quickly. 

"The Prime Minister has assured me that he will depute a central team to assess the losses," Palaniswami added.

The Chief Minister said the compensation amount announced by the AIADMK government so far is far higher than what the then DMK government announced after cyclone Nisha in 2008.

Asked as to why he did not visit the cyclone-affected places by road, Palaniswami said four districts have been severely affected and countered as to how one can visit them by road.

He said he made an aerial survey flying low and has taken pictures of the damage which were handed over to PM Modi.-IANS