Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday, December 9, 2023, announced ₹6,000 each, to all of the families that have been affected by Cyclone Michaung. The relief amount will be distributed through fair price shops in all affected areas.
The Chief Minister, who chaired a meeting attended by his Cabinet colleagues, the T.N. Chief Secretary and other officials, also increased the solatium to ₹5 lakh from ₹4 lakh for those who lost their lives in the floods.
A State government press release said ₹8,000, up from ₹5,000, would be given to those who needed to repair their huts damaged in the incessant rain that ravaged many parts of the State due to the cyclone.
“Detailed guidelines will be issued very soon,” said Finance Secretary T. Udayachandran on identifying beneficiaries for financial relief.
Crop loss compensation
Mr. Stalin also increased the compensation amount to ₹17,000 from ₹13,500 for paddy fields per hectare, where more than 33% of the crops have been damaged, while the compensation for loss of perennial crops and trees per hectare would be ₹22,500 instead of ₹18,000.
The compensation for loss of dry crops has been increased from ₹7,410 to ₹8,500 per hectare. The amount for loss of cows and buffaloes is ₹37,500, increased from ₹30,000, while the amount for those who have lost goats and sheep is now ₹4,000, up from ₹3,000.
For fishermen, the compensation for fully-damaged catamarans including nets, will be ₹50,000 instead of ₹32,000. For partly-damaged boats, the amount has been increased from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000. The maximum grant for fully damaged vallam-type boats has been increased to ₹1 lakh, from ₹75,000. Similarly, fully-damaged mechanised boats will get a grant of ₹7.5 lakh instead of ₹5 lakh. The compensation for damaged nets is ₹15,000, increased from ₹10,000.
Distribution of relief materials
The Chief Minister said the government was getting milk powder, drinking water bottles, bread and biscuits from various districts and has so far distributed 58,222 kg of milk powder; 9,67,000 water bottles; 2,65,000 loaves of bread and 10,38,175 packets of biscuits.
On the draining of waterlogged areas, the CM said over 25,000 sanitation workers were working on a war-footing along with the disaster management teams in inundated areas. A total of 51 lakh food packets have been supplied in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.
