Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday (April 27) accused the Centre of “deceiving” the state by denying the disaster relief fund and justice, as well, and warned that the people were watching every action of the BJP-led central government. Though the state government has demanded Rs 37,907 crore for relief and rehabilitation following the widespread destruction caused by the Michaung cyclone and unprecedented rains (in December 2023), the Centre had announced only Rs 276 crore, he said.
"This too after we approached the Supreme Court (seeking the aid from the Centre)," he said in a post on the social media platform 'X'.
The Tamil Nadu government has so far spent Rs 2,477 crore from the State Disaster Fund towards the immediate relief and rehabilitation of the affected people, Stalin said.
"Our people are watching every action of the BJP government which is deceiving that there's no fund and no justice to Tamil Nadu," he added.
AIADMK slams Centre over disaster relief funds
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday alleged that the Central government never provided the disaster relief funds as sought by the Tamil Nadu government whenever the state was severely affected by cyclones.
Tamil Nadu's plight remains unchanged irrespective of the parties that captured power at the Centre, he claimed, flaying both the BJP government at the Centre and the ruling DMK in the state.
The DMK government, which has been complaining of a lack of financial support from the Centre to help the state tide over the loss due to the Michaung cyclone in December 2023, was unable to obtain the funds even during the UPA regime, he claimed.
"Despite sharing power with the Congress at the Centre, the DMK then failed to secure the funds when the state was badly hit by the cyclone," Palaniswami told reporters here after inaugurating water and buttermilk booths to quench people's thirst this summer at Konganapuram and Edappadi areas in the district.
(With PTI inputs)
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