Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday seeking financial assistance for the damage caused during cyclones ‘Nivar’ and ‘Burevi’, funds for the Chennai Metro Rail project and approval for flight services between Chennai and Salem under the UDAN scheme. Expediting of river linking projects was among the other demands the Chief Minister had made.
The Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister that the two cyclones, Nivar and Burevi, and the unprecedented rain in January 2021 had aggravated the financial stress on the State which had sanctioned ₹2,615 crore as on January 13, 2021 under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
At present there was a deficit balance of ₹1,255 crore under the SDRF, he said and requested Mr. Modi to consider the release of Central Financial Assistance to the tune of ₹1,200 crore immediately to provide relief to the people of the State.
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Fishermen issue
Mr. Palaniswami also requested the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to urgently discuss with Sri Lankan authorities about the release of 12 Indian fishermen and all mechanised fishing boats which are in their custody.
He urged Mr. Modi to instruct the Jal Shakti Minister to finalise the report for the Godavari-Cauvery link phase-I project and take up the work on priority basis so that the southern States could benefit from the inter-basin transfer of floodwater. He also sought approval and financial assistance for the Cauvery-Gundar linkage project on a priority basis and wanted it to be considered a national project. An appeal was made to consider the Nadanthai Vazhi Cauvery project as a special project like the Namami Gange programme and extend financial assistance to the tune of ₹713.39 crore at the earliest.
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The Chief Minister also requested Mr. Modi’s intervention for the early approval of the Chennai Metro Rail phase-II project under a 50:50 equity model. The phase-II will cover 118.9 km at an estimated cost of ₹61,843 crore.
Flight to Salem
Mr. Palaniswami said there was only one morning flight from Chennai to Salem and business travellers were put to hardship because of this. Either they had to use alternative modes of transport or travel to Coimbatore to take a flight.
The work at the Salem airport for night landing of aircraft had been completed, he said and asked the Prime Minister to instruct the Ministry of Civil Aviation to operate an evening or night return flight from Chennai to Salem. Introduction of direct flights between Coimbatore International Airport and Dubai was another demand the Chief Minister had made.
He also sought financial assistance for the proposed Bulk Drug Park and Medical Devices Park in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts respectively. Approval for at least two mega textile parks for the State, fixing of a Minimum Support Price for milling copra at ₹150 per kg for the 2021 season, expediting proposals for the development of Vellapallam fishing harbour and fish landing centres in 18 small fishing harbours in the State and the setting up of the defence industrial corridor were among the demands the Chief Minister had made in the memorandum.