Stalin launches cash assistance of Rs 6k for flood-hit areas; Chaos in PDS shops

CHENNAI:Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday launched the distribution of Rs 6,000, a one-time assistance to families that have been affected by Cyclone Michaung and subsequent floods in Chennai and neighbouring Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts.

He launched the scheme and distributed the cash assistance at Ashtalakshmi Nagar in Velachery, one of the worst affected areas in the floods which houses middle-class and retired government servants.

"I launched the scheme to provide Rs 6,000 cash assistance to the people of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts whose livelihoods were affected due to Cyclone Michaung. The Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 1,486 crore to provide cash assistance to the affected people. Over all, 24.25 lakh families will benefit through this scheme. My journey will continue to alleviate people's sufferings, " Stalin said in a social media post.

Subsequently, Stalin inspected the distribution of cash assistance at TUCS Fair Price Shop in Velachery.

Further, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena inspected the TUCS ration shop in Velachery and listened to grievances of residents who queued up for the cash assistance.

Minutes after the official launch by CM, the other Fair Price Shops in Chennai and its neighbouring districts started disbursing the one-time aid in cash to the ration card holders who have already received tokens from the concerned authorities.

However, in many ration shops in the city and suburbs, the distribution work of cash assistance did not go well as the card holders started arguing with the ration shop workers for the cash assistance and tokens.

Arumugham, 65 from Perambur said, "I have already submitted a form and a token was also given. I went to the ration shop and queued up for a long time as I was told that the cash assistance would be given from today onwards. But when my turn came, the officials in the ration shop told me that cash to my token cannot be distributed today and told me to come and collect it on December 21. If I had been told in advance, I would not have stood in a long queue."

Also, in many locations, the card holders were involved in altercations with the PDS shop officials for not including them under the scheme.

Clarifying this, State Minister for Special Program Implementation Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the cash assistance will be given within a week to those who cannot get the token.

"Help desks have been set up near the Fair Price Shops in Chennai and its neighbouring districts to assist those who have not received the token and if they apply through the help desks, the cash assistance will be given within a week," Stalin Junior noted.