Centre Allocates ₹944.8 Crore to Tamil Nadu for Cyclone Fengal Relief

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Dec. The Central Government has approved the release of ₹944.8 crore to the Tamil Nadu government as two installments of the central share from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The funds aim to support relief efforts for those affected by Cyclone Fengal, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced in an official statement on Saturday.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the government stands with states affected by natural calamities to alleviate the suffering of the people,” the statement said.

Additionally, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) has been deployed to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Fengal. Based on the team’s findings, further financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) may be approved.

The Centre has already disbursed over ₹21,718 crore to 28 states this year for disaster management, including ₹14,878 crore from SDRF, ₹4,808 crore from NDRF, and additional funds from mitigation reserves.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, in a letter to Prime Minister Modi earlier this week, described the devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal as “unprecedented.” He sought an interim relief of ₹2,000 crore from the NDRF to address the disaster’s immediate impacts.

Stalin reported that the cyclone had severely affected 69 lakh families and 1.5 crore individuals across districts like Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Kallakurichi. Preliminary estimates indicate that ₹2,475 crore will be required for temporary restoration efforts. “The scale of this disaster has overwhelmed the state’s resources, and we need urgent financial assistance to manage the fallout,” Stalin wrote.

The Centre’s financial and logistical support, including NDRF deployments, aims to bolster the state’s ongoing efforts to recover from the cyclone’s extensive damage.