Rs.1,487 crore paid to the families affected by Michaung, says TN govt in HC

CHENNAI: The State submitted before the Madras High Court that Rs.1,487.20 crore had been disbursed to more than 24 lakh households affected by the Michaung cyclone.

The first division bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad heard a public interest litigation seeking to direct the State to remit the financial assistance to the bank accounts of the families affected by the Michaung cyclone.

Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran submitted that the State has disbursed Rs 6000 each to the families affect by the cyclone in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet and Thiruvallur.

Totally, Rs. 1,455.20 crore has disbursed to 23.25 lakh households in January, said the AAG.

Further, Rs.31.73 crore has additionally disbursed to the households leftout in the beneficiary list.

After the submission the bench posted the matter to April 17 for further submission.

Litigant G Ramadoss from Chennai stated that if the financial assistance of Rs.6000 paid through ration shops huge malpractice could happen.

The persons who were actually affected by the cyclone may be left out from the beneficiary list, hence the aid should be distributed through bank accounts.

The litigant also welcomed the announcement of cash aid to the families which severely affected the means of livelihood due to the cyclone.

However, the litigant contended to distribute the cash aid through bank accounts as the government was already depositing money to the beneficiaries through bank accounts for various schemes, it will not be a huge challenge for the State to do the same in distributing cash aid to the affected families.