Central government sanctions only 5 per cent of Tamil Nadu's amount

Chennai: Having suffered four disasters in the past 17 months, Tamil Nadu had demanded a whopping Rs 76,004 crore from the Centre as relief.

Informed government sources confirmed that the Central government had sanctioned a mere 5.25 per cent of the amount, of which only 2.5 per cent is released. Sources also confirmed that the centre is biased over the allocation of disaster relief to Tamil Nadu, when compared with other states.

The previous disaster relief fund from the Centre came, when the late chief minister Jayalalithaa was active. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took an aerial survey during Chennai floods in 2015 sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore and another Rs 940 crore was released little later. After this, there is no adequate fund flow from the Centre towards the state to carry outs its disaster relief. Funds for the state under Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan, right to education are also pending from the Union government, state finance department sources confirmed.

“Starting from Chennai floods in December 2015, one after the other had been striking Tamil Nadu. Cyclone Vardah in December 2016, Chennai oil spills in January 2017 and the current 2017 drought have played havoc among the TN public. As an interim relief the state had so far sanctioned orders distributing relief to an extent of Rs 2,500 crore, but without the Centre assistance, the situation is really difficult for the state finance department,” a highly placed source told DC.

Sources with the state revenue administration also confirmed that all file works related to damages caused during Cyclone Vardah and drought have been shared with the Centre on a periodical basis. So far, three high level central committees had visited Tamil Nadu to assess the damages, but their recommendations are not encouraging. For Vardah the state in its communiqué submitted a total loss of Rs 22,573 crore, but the relief amount sanctioned from the Centre is Rs 266.17 crore.

For the 2017 drought, the state in its memorandum submitted a loss of Rs 39,565 crore and in response the inter-ministerial committee has recommended Rs 1,748.28 crore. This amount is likely to be released by next month, an informed official source told DC.