Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No 536 – Central Assistance for Floods in TN

Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No 536 – Central Assistance for Floods in TN

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 536

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7TH FEBRUARY, 2024/ MAGHA 18, 1945 (SAKA)

CENTRAL ASSISTANCE FOR FLOODS IN TN

536 SHRI M. SHANMUGAM:
SHRI VAIKO:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Ministry has sent Central team to assess damages caused due to very heavy rainfall and flooding in Chennai and suburbs and South Tamil Nadu in December;
(b) if so, details thereof;
(c) whether State Government of Tamil Nadu requested for release of funds towards relief operations in wake of natural disasters struck in eight districts;
(d) if so, total funds demanded by the State;
(e) disaster relief fund released to the State so far; and
(f) by when total funds, grants and Central assistance as demanded by the State would be released for undertaking quick restoration of damaged public infrastructure, details thereof?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) to (f): There are institutional mechanisms at the National and State level for effective management of natural disasters in the country. As per the National Policy on Disaster Management, the primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the State Governments concerned. Central Government extends all possible logistics and financial supports to the States to supplement their efforts to meet the situation effectively. The State Governments undertake assessment of damage and provide financial relief in the wake of natural disasters, including cyclone, and flood from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at
their disposal. Additional financial assistance is extended from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) by following the laid down
procedure, which includes an assessment based on the visit of an InterMinisterial Central Team (IMCT). Financial assistance under SDRF/ NDRF
in the wake of natural disasters is by way of relief and not for compensation of loss claimed.

In order to support the affected people of the State, an amount of Rs. 1200.00 crore (900.00 crore Central Share + 300.00 crore State share) has been allocated to the State Government of Tamil Nadu for the financial year 2023-24 under SDRF. The first installment of Rs. 450.00 crore of Central share was released on 10.07.2023. Apart from this, in order to extend financial support during cyclone ‘Michaung’, the second installment of SDRF amounting to Rs. 450.00 crore was released in advance on 12.12.2023 to the State Government. In addition, the State Government has reported an opening balance of Rs 813.15 crore in its SDRF account as on 1stApril, 2023. As such, an amount of Rs. 2013.15 crore is available in the SDRF account of the State for the relief operations.

Four districts in the north Tamil Nadu were affected due to heavy rainfall accompanied by Cyclonic Storm “MICHAUNG” on 3-4th December 2023. Subsequently, due to heavy rainfall from 17th-18th December 2023, four southern districts of Tamil Nadu were affected by floods and inundation.

In the instant cases, even before the receipt of memoranda form State Government of Tamil Nadu, an IMCT was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which visited the cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ affected areas of the State from 11th to 14th December 2023. In the case of floods caused by heavy rainfall in the southern part of the State, another IMCT was constituted by MHA, which visited the affected areas from 19th to 22th December 2023 for assessment of damages. Government of Tamil Nadu has submitted two memoranda seeking additional financial assistance, one for cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ and second for floods caused by heavy rainfall in the southern parts of the State. After receipt of memorandum, IMCT visited the affected areas of the southern Tamil Nadu from 11th to
14th January 2024 again for an on-the-spot realistic assessment of damages. Upon receipt of reports from the IMCT, further financial assistance under NDRF is considered as per laid down procedure.