Congress MP Urges Swift Release of Rs 37,907 Crore Disaster Relief Funds Package for Tamil Nadu

Congress MP, Manickam Tagore,, moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on Thursday to debate the two catastrophes, including Cyclone Michaung, that struck Tamil Nadu in December.
The Congress Lok Sabha MP has urged the House to direct the Central government to disburse the Rs 37,907 crore funding requested by the Tamil Nadu government for flood assistance.

“It is important that this House should come forward to start discussion on the impact of cyclone Michaung in Tamil Nadu and to direct the government to early release Rs 37, 907 crore funds sought by the state government towards flood relief,” the MP from Virudhunagar wrote in his letter to the Lok Sabha Secretary General.

“The compensation sought by the state government includes Rs 15,645.59 crore for temporary restoration and Rs 22,261.62 crore for permanent restoration works, in the Cyclone Michaung hit Chennai and neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram in the first week of December and rain hit southern districts of the State, two weeks later,” he said.

“While the State Government undertook immediate rescue and relief efforts using its own financial resources and the funds available with the State Disaster Response Fund, the magnitude of these disasters was colossal and, therefore. full restoration and rehabilitation cannot be done without adequate support from the National Disaster Response Fund. Cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ brought extremely very heavy rainfall on December 3 and 4 and Chennai. Thiruvallur. Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts were severely affected because of the cyclone and consequent heavy flooding. Close on its wake, the southern districts of the State–Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari districts received unprecedented, extremely heavy rainfall on December 17 and 18. As a result, the infrastructure both public and private and livelihoods of the people have been devastated,” the Congress MP added.

Both Houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, will resume at 11 a.m. on Thursday to discuss the legislative matter on the agenda for the day.
In Lok Sabha, MPs Ravneet Singh and Bhavana Gawali (Patil) will place on the table the minutes of the Thirteenth Committee on Members’ Absence from House Session on February 6.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Lower House passed the Finance Bill, 2024, which marked the end of the House’s Interim Budget exercise. The Union Finance Minister presented the Interim Budget on February 1, the second day of the current Budget Session.

The session, which began with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses on January 31, has been prolonged by one day until February 10. It was scheduled to be completed on February 9.