Centre sanctions Rs 940-cr assistance to flood-hit Tamil Nadu

Prime Minister  Narendra Modi on Monday instructed immediate release of financial assistance of nearly Rs 940 crore to deal with the flood situation in rain-battered Tamil Nadu, hours after Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote to him seeking funds for the relief work. 

“Prime Minister  Narendra Modi has instructed the release of financial assistance worth Rs 939.63 crore immediately to Tamil Nadu to assist it in dealing with the situation arising from the floods,” an official release said.  The Centre is also sending a team to the state to assess the damage and “further action will be taken after the team submits its report,” it said.  The assistance was sanctioned in response to a request of the state government. With the rains leaving a trail of destruction in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has pegged the damage at Rs 8,481 crore.