Following the recent disaster caused by Cyclone Michaung in Chennai on 3 & 4 December 2023 and the heavy rains in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu on 17 & 18 December 2023, a delegation comprising Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu Led by DMK Treasurer and MP T.R. Baalu held discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on 13 January 2024. During the meeting, the delegation emphasised the urgent need for the release of funds requested by the State Government to address the flood relief efforts.
தமிழ்நாடு அடுத்தடுத்து சந்தித்த இருவேறு பேரிடர்களிலிருந்து மீள்வதற்குத் தேவையான நிதியை வழங்க வலியுறுத்தி, நமது அனைத்துக் கட்சி நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்கள் மாண்புமிகு உள்துறை அமைச்சர் திரு. @AmitShah அவர்களைச் சந்தித்துக் கோரிக்கை மனு அளித்துள்ளனர்.
ஒன்றியக் குழுக்களும் வந்து… pic.twitter.com/5s5Ucv4EMh
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) January 13, 2024
They presented a memorandum reiterating the State’s plea for a total of ₹37,907.21 crore, for permanent and temporary restoration works meant to address the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Michaung in Chennai and the destruction resulting from heavy rainfall in the southern districts. It has also been stated that the state government rescue and relief measures were done using its own funds with SDRF but the magnitude of the natural disaster was colossal and without support from NDRf full restoration cannot be done
In the aftermath of the Cyclone Michaung disaster that struck Chennai on the 3rd and 4th December 2023, and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu on the 17th and 18th December 2023, a delegation led by DMK Treasurer and MP T.R. Baalu, consisting of Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu, engaged in discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on 13 January 2024. The delegation underscored the critical need for the expeditious release of funds sought by the State Government to facilitate flood relief efforts.
They presented memorandum reiterated the State’s request for a total of ₹37,907.21 crore, earmarked for both permanent and temporary restoration works. It highlighted the substantial damage caused by Cyclone Michaung in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu of northern districts and the havoc wreaked by heavy rainfall in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari of the southern districts. The memorandum also emphasized that while the state government had undertaken rescue and relief measures using its own funds and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the scale of the natural disaster was immense. The delegation stressed that without support from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprehensive restoration efforts could not be achieved, urging the prompt release of funds to address the unprecedented challenges.
After meeting with the home minister, TR Baalu met with the reporters and briefed the discussion that he was confident that the central government would allocate the funds. He said, “One of the teams that was sent to assess is returning tomorrow or the day after it they will submit a report after 21 (21 January 2024) based on the report. He promised that we (The home ministry, Agriculture ministry, and other two or three other ministries) will discuss how much funds should be allocated to this disaster and make a positive decision that is Finance ministry, Agriculture ministry, and Home ministry all will combine for discussion and after taking decision within 27 January ill provide you whatever I can”.
A reporter raised a question to TR Baalu. He asked, “I am sure they will provide you the funds we have asked for, there is no other view in it, Central team has gone and explored the areas but, we have asked 37000 crores. Will they provide 37000 crores is a bigger question? What did he say regarding that.. Whenever we ask a thing they allocate only 10% of it?”
TR Baalu replied “Basically temporary restoration requirement is 15645 crores, permanent restoration requirement is 22261 crores totaling ₹37,907 crores, Thalaivar thalapathi meeting in person with Modi has given memorandum… after the team has visited affected areas they can decide how much can be allotted, based on report submitted on 21 January, 3 ministries such as Finance, Angriculture and home ministry will take unified decision only then they know how much they are going to allocate. Before that, we do not know. So by 27 January, I’ll inform you of the allocation promised by the Union Home Minister”
Another reporter asked, “Already in many northern states when such disasters arise, the centre tends to immediately allocate funds but states like our Tamilnadu are continuously being neglected.”
Interrupting him TR Baalu replied, “Basically It’s unnecessary to say that the Indian government is neglecting us, if that were the case; they wouldn’t have dispatched so many teams. This is the first instance India’s finance minister has visited disaster-stricken areas, no finance minister has undertaken such visits. We are considering that the central.. union government is showing a sense of compassion. So only after the result we can say or decide whether they are discriminating or making the right decisions”.
Yet another reporter asked, “The Chief minister has already requested the immediate release of funds of ₹3000 crore and asked to release the remaining funds later, even today central government has not released the funds. Has the home minister said anything regarding this?
TR Baalu replied “No, No seriously if that was the needed concern… He has realized the damage that happened in Tamil Nadu. He said ‘I agree it is also my duty to rescue Tamil people from this damage please wait for the report which will arrive on 21 January, only a few more days for 27 January… beforehand, I’ll say and contact you’”.
When a reporter asked if Baalu believed that TN would receive funds before the 27th of this month, Baalu replied, “We believe that before the 27 we will receive the funds.. We all believe that”
When asked if the meeting with the minister was constructive and satisfactory, Baalu replied in the affirmative.
Another reporter asked TR Baalu, “We accuse the Central government stand for practicing continuous discrimination against southern states. Tamilnadu CM has written a letter, sports minister Udayanidhi Stalin has written a letter and in his meeting, he has stressed the same, today you as 8 8-member team have met Amit Shah and requested an immediate release of 36000 crores. Has Amit Shah assured anything?”
TR Baalu replied “To declare immediate result this is not… we can speak this via politics but this is government, for a government to take a decision there are certain procedures. we have been as ministers and we know how reports arrive, how many days it will take to read them and we know by which committee the decision should be made. So for that question, I will not answer through politics. Individuals standing here too won’t say. because we all know the matter and have been members for a long time and they won’t make decisions in a hurry we cannot speak as it is. I’m sure that the central.. union government is also worried about the situation. He says within 27 the matter will be dealt this is a big deal!”
உடனடியாக முடிவெடுக்க இது அரசியல் கிடையாது, அரசாங்கம். சில செயல்முறைகள் உள்ளது அதை பின்பற்றி வருகிறார்கள் அதனடிப்படையில் முடிவெடுப்பார்கள்.
தமிழகத்திற்கு உதவ வேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணத்தில்தான் நிதியமைச்சரே நேரில் வந்து ஆய்வு செய்தார்.
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) January 14, 2024
What Constitutes A Natural Disaster; Is There Any Established Provision For Its Declaration?
Natural disasters encompass various events such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, cyclones, tsunamis, urban floods, and heatwaves, while man-made disasters may involve nuclear, biological, and chemical incidents
The current Scheme of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) / National Response Fund, managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, lacks provisions to declare any disaster, including floods, as a National Calamity. Despite the presence of guidelines for SDRF/NDRF, there is no executive or legal framework to designate a natural calamity as a national calamity.
The absence of a defined criterion has led to uncertainty in classifying disasters or calamities. In 2001, a National Committee chaired by the then Prime Minister was tasked with determining parameters for defining a national calamity, but it did not propose any fixed criteria. The 10th Finance Commission (1995-2000) explored the idea of terming a disaster a “national calamity of rarest severity” if it affected one-third of a state’s population, but the committee did not provide a clear definition of “calamity of rare severity.” When a calamity is declared of rare severity, national-level support is extended to the affected state, including assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Additionally, a Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) is established, with a 3:1 sharing ratio between the Centre and the state. In cases of insufficient CRF resources, further aid is considered from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF), fully funded by the Centre. Relief measures, such as loan repayment assistance and concessional loans for the affected individuals, are also contemplated once a calamity is declared “severe.”
How Does The Government Determine It?
The aftermath of disasters results in damage, necessitating the government’s obligation to provide financial assistance and aid to affected individuals. The Administration’s current provision of Gratuitous Relief and Housing Subsidy aligns with norms established by the Government of India.
Expenditure from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) follows norms specified by the Government of India, permitting the state Government to issue guidelines for ex-gratia relief. Damage assessment falls under the purview of district/local administration, covering private and public properties, crops, and more.
The State Government, upon assessing damages beyond its capacity, may seek Central Government assistance, leading to on-the-spot assessments by a Central Team. Food, clothing, and medical aid are immediate relief measures, while long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation depend on thorough damage assessments. The assessment process, outlined in simplified proforma by the Government of India, aids in compensation proceedings and ensures accurate evaluation of damages to various sectors, including livestock, agriculture, infrastructure, and more. The use of relevant proforma during assessments is mandated to facilitate a quick and systematic evaluation of damages.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.