HT Digital,
Chennai, Dec 7: The Central Government has released financial aid to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah made this announcement on platform ‘X’. He revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to allocate an advance central share of Rs 493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu.
In addition, Shah disclosed that for the flood-ravaged city of Chennai, Rs 561.29 crore has been sanctioned for the ‘Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project’ under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), inclusive of Central assistance of Rs. 500 crore. This is the first of many urban flood mitigation initiatives meant to make Chennai more resilient to such disasters.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to advance the central share of the second instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), totalling Rs 493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu. The first instalment of the same amount had already been disbursed to both states.
Shah expressed his condolences for those affected by the disaster and wished for their well-being. The cyclone wreaked havoc in Southern India, causing heavy rainfall and strong winds, leading to extensive damage.
Chennai was severely affected with over 61,000 people seeking refuge in government shelters due to flooding. Residents in Chennai and its surrounding areas are dealing with standing water and power outages. Rescue teams are using boats to reach individuals trapped in their homes due to the flooding.