After the cyclone pounded Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the first urban flood mitigation project of ₹561.29 crore, under National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), for ‘Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project’.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with Tamil Nadu Minister for Finance & Human Resources Management Thangam Thenarasu and Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena also carried out an aerial survey of areas ravaged by cyclone Michuang in-and-around Chennai, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement.
Talking to reporters after the survey, the Defence Minister stated the Central and state governments are together putting up an effective response to mitigate the crisis. “The Prime Minister spoke with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and has assured all possible help from the Central Government. He has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to release in advance the central share of the second instalment of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of ₹493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and ₹450 crore to Tamil Nadu. The Centre had already released its first instalment of the same amount to both the States,” he was quoted by the MoD as having said.
He added that Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other central agencies are assisting the state government in the relief & rescue operations and leaving no stone unturned to bring back normalcy.
Express his concern, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that he prays for the safety and well being of those affected and that the Centre stands with them in this crucial hour. Chennai is facing major floods, the third such occurring in the last eight years. We are witnessing more instances of metropolitan cities receiving excessive rainfall, leading to sudden flooding, he observed on ‘X’.
“Severe cyclonic storm Michaung has affected Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Though the extent of damage is varied, many areas of these States are inundated, thus affecting standing crops. To help the State governments with the management of relief necessitated by the cyclonic storm, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji directed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to release in advance the central share of the second instalment of SDRF of ₹493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and ₹450 crore to Tamil Nadu. The centre had already released the first installment of the same amount to both States,” Shah said, as per an official statement released by Ministry of Home Affairs.