Rs. 1 crore for J & K flood victims

Employees can also contribute one-day salary to PM’s fund

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Monday announced in the Legislative Assembly that the Government would provide an assistance of Rs.1 crore to the flood-hit people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Making a suo moto announcement in the Assembly, Mr. Rangasamy said that the government would provide Rs.1 crore as assistance to Jammu and Kashmir for relief and rehabilitation works. He said that government employees could also contribute their one day’s salary to the Prime Minister’s relief fund.

Earlier AINRC Legislator V. Bhalan appealed to the Chief Minister to make an announcement on the Government’s contribution to the relief fund.

He also said that all the three nominated MLAs also intended to contribute their one month’s salary to the relief fund as the floods had claimed several lives and caused heavy devastation in the State.

MLA causes flutter

Opposition AIADMK MLA A. Baskar on Monday caused a flutter in the Assembly during zero hour.

Mr. Baskar said that the flow of traffic was suspended for nearly 25 minutes earlier in the day at Marapalam junction because the Chief Minister N. Rangasamy was passing through the point. The traffic police held up the flow of vehicles causing hardship and inconvenience to school children, office goers and others.

Mr. Baskar said that he had got down from his vehicle and regulated the traffic. When he kept raising the issue the Speaker V. Sabapathy intervened and told him that that the MLA could not make any lecture and representation during Zero Hour should relate to matters of public importance and urgency. Most of the ruling party MLAs rose from their seats and objected to the AIADMK Legislator’s criticism of the Chief Minister. The Speaker also objected to Mr. Baskar exceeding the time limit during Zero Hour and asked the Government whip G. Nehru to begin his representation.

Mr. Baskar rushed towards the Speaker’s podium and had a heated argument with the Speaker whose appeal to the MLA to return to his seat went unheeded. AIADMK Deputy Legislature leader A. Anbalagan pacified Baskar following which he withdrew to his seat.