The territorial administration has sought an interim Central assistance of ₹ 300 crore to compensate the loss to farmers, and to take up relief work for the damage caused by the recent monsoon rains, in the Union Territory.
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy sought the assistance during his interaction with the Inter-ministerial Central team in his chambers on Monday night.
The Chief Minister gave the Central team details about the damage sustained to the agriculture sector and to civic infrastructure. Paddy cultivation in around 7,000 hectares in Puducherry and Karaikal region alone, were affected in the heavy rains. Farmers also lost their livestocks in the floods, the Chief Minister said. He also briefed the team about about the damage to coastal areas due to sea erosion during the monsoon period, said an official.
The Chief Minister had already written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the damage caused due to rains in the UT. Minister for Public Works, K. Lakshminarayanan on Saturday, had personally handed over the letter to officials in the MHA, said a government source.
Rs. 5,000 to be provided to yellow ration cardholders
Talking to reporters after the meeting on Friday night, the Chief Minister said the government has decided to provide ₹ 5,000 to all yellow ration cardholders in addition to the already announced ₹ 5,000 to red ration card holders
On, Tuesday morning the Inter-ministerial team headed by Ajay Sharma, Joint Secretary, Home Affairs, toured rain affected places in Puducherry region.
The team visited the coastal hamlet of Pillaichavady to get an on-the-spot assessment of damage due to sea erosion. They also inspected farmlands damaged in Bahour area and interacted with people at N. R Nagar. They left for Cuddalore around 10 a.m
Meanwhile, a DMK delegation led by Opposition leader R. Siva met the team and sought Central assistance of ₹ 500 crore. The damage to the agriculture sector has been extensive. But the government had only assessed the damage to paddy cultivation, he said in a memorandum. Similarly, almost all roads in Puducherry and Karaikal region had suffered heavy damage. The bed dams across Sankaraparani also sustained damage in the floods, he added. Several electric poles got uprooted and transformers damaged in the heavy rains, he said.
AIADMK secretary (East) A. Anbalagan also submitted a representation to the team seeking immediate assistance from the Centre to take up relief work. The territorial administration would require a minimum of ₹ 300 crore to provide assistance to affected people and another ₹ 100 crore to repair roads, he said.
