The Tamil Nadu Government has presented the Centre with a bill for ₹ 25,912.45 crore for relief and restoration works due to damage caused by the recent rains and floods.
The Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said in a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the State government has prepared a supplementary memorandum for ₹ 17,431.51 crore based on the damage caused by the unprecedented rains which caused heavy flooding in Chennai in the first week of December.
This is in addition to the ₹ 8,481 crore it asked on November 23, 2015 following the initial spell of rains.
The State government is committed to rebuilding infrastructure and providing gratuitous relief for the flood affected families, she said in the letter.
The rains during the North East Monsoon this year have caused enormous devastation to standing crops, property and public infrastructure besides loss of livelihood, loss of life and cattle. The flooding was declared a “Calamity of Severe Nature”.
The Chief Minister also asked the Centre to expedite the release of ₹ 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund. She had requested the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to release the fund immediately to enable sustained vigour in restoration operations.
The deluge in November and December hit Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Tuticorin and Tirunelveli.
Roads were flooded trains and bus transport had to be suspended in many locations, Chennai Airport was closed for five days in the first week of December. Electricity supply had to be switched off in the inundated parts of the city due to the risk of electrocution. Telephone communication was severely disrupted. Banking services were affected badly, with ATMs not working due to inundation. The flood waters heavily damaged durable assets and motor vehicles in many households.
Massive rescue and relief operations were immediately launched by the State Government on a war footing.