Jaitley meets Jayalalithaa over flood assistance

“The principal purpose of the visit has been to assist [Tamil Nadu] in terms of the recent natural calamity and our emphasis has been on that,” Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday held discussions with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on flood rehabilitation efforts and indicated that the crucial Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill did not figure in the meeting.

The Chief Minister also sought an interim assistance of Rs. 2,000 crore from the Centre as she apprised the Union Finance Minister of the calamity.

“The principal purpose of the visit has been to assist [Tamil Nadu] in terms of the recent natural calamity and our emphasis has been on that,” Mr. Jaitley told reporters.

The meeting between Ms. Jayalalithaa and Mr. Jaitley is the second one this year as the Finance Minister had called on her at her Poes Garden residence in January amidst efforts by the NDA to garner support for various Bills in Parliament.

Meanwhile, a statement from the State government also said that the meeting between the two leaders was focused around the recent floods.

Ms. Jayalalithaa “apprised the Union Finance Minister of the calamity of unprecedented magnitude that struck” these districts, it said.