Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought Central assistance of Rs.15,000 crore for the 12 districts hit by a cyclone that claimed 63 lives and destroyed crops and plantations.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Palaniswami said he urged for an immediate relief of Rs.1,500 crore and permanent relief of Rs.15,000 crore for the state.
Severe Cyclone Gaja crossed the Tamil Nadu coast on November 16, leaving 63 people and thousands of livestock dead, and damaging properties, standing crops, coconut groves, banana plantations and power distribution infrastructure in several districts. It is estimated that around 3.78 lakh men, women and children are now housed in government relief centres in the state's central and coastal districts. About one lakh trees are strewn across roads, waiting to be cleared.
Palaniswami said a memorandum detailing the devastation left by the cyclone has been submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also urged the prime minister to send a central team to make an assessment of the damage so that the Centre could extend aid to the state quickly.
"The Prime Minister has assured me that he will depute a central team to assess the losses," Palaniswami added.
