Tamil Nadu seeks Rs 4,500 crore from Urban Development Ministry

Chennai, Dec 13: Tamil Nadu government has asked the Urban Development Ministry to provide a special package of Rs 4,500 crore to take up restoration work in the urban local bodies severely affected due to last week's torrential rains.

Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who is on a two-day visit to Chennai to get a first hand account on the impact of floods, called on Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at the Secretariat here.

Jayalalithaa drew his attention on the extensive damage caused to roads, drinking water, sewerage and storm water drainage systems in flood-affected urban local bodies, an official release said.

"The urban local bodies, including Chennai Corporation would require substantial assistance for restoration. Preliminary estimates of the requirement exceed Rs 4,500 crore", Jayalalithaa was quoted as saying in the release.

Observing that the local bodies cannot rely on "own source of tax revenue" for taking up restoration work, she urged Naidu to grant a Rs 4,500 crore special package of assistance.

Jayalalithaa pointed out that the slum dwellers living on the city's waterways in Adyar, Cooum, Buckingham Canal have lost homes and belongings in the floods.

"They are all currently housed in relief centres. Chief Minister emphasised that rehabilitating the slum dwellers is the highest priority of the government", the release said.

PTI