The rains and subsequent flooding that Tamil Nadu saw in November 2021, had affected almost 20 districts in the state. The state government had requested the Central government to provide ₹6,203 crores for disaster management. Even though 2 months have passed since the Central government’s team conducted an enquiry of the situation, the funds have still not reached the state.
₹500 crores, which was allocated for Tamil Nadu in the last Central Government budget, for the state to take up Disaster Management works, is still to reach the state. The Central government has not responded even after the higher officials of the Revenue department went to Delhi to speak about this.
The Tamil Nadu finance officials have reportedly asked the Finance Ministry officials from the Centre about why relief funds were not being released to the state. The higher officials of the Union Finance Ministry reportedly told that they are dissatisfied with the Tamil Nadu Finance Minister, Palanivel Thiagarajan. The statements of the Minister in the GST Council meeting has also apparently been provocative instigating other state’s officials. He has been accusing the Central Government, ever since he took responsibility as a Minister while showing no progress in implementation of reforms.
The Central Government officials have reportedly told that they are not willing to change their stance, until the Finance Minister changes his attitude. The minister is already dissatisfied with him being deprived of his party post of DMK IT Wing head. Now, those in the corridors of Arivalayam have been murmuring if more trouble is on the way for PTR if the state government contemplates about replacing him.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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