Stalin announces comprehensive flood relief package; Rs 6,000 each to livelihood affected people

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday announced a comprehensive relief package, including Rs 6,000 to people whose livelihood was affected by Cyclone Michaung.

A release issued by the state government a few hours after Chief Minister M K Stalin discussed relief distribution with senior ministers and bureaucrats at the state secretariat, said that Chief Minister Stalin has issued orders to distribute Rs 6,000 as relief assistance to people whose livelihood was affected by Cyclone Michaung. People could collect the relief in cash from the ration shops in their locality, the release said.

As a part of the relief package, the Chief Minister has also issued orders to increase the compensation distributed for flood/cyclone relief under various heads.

Compensation paid to families who lost their kith and kin to the cyclone/floods has been increased from Rs 4 to 5 lakhs, while relief paid for damaged huts has been increased by Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000 per damaged hut. Paddy farmers who suffered damages to the extent of 33% and above would be paid an increased compensation of Rs 17,000 per hectare (Rs 13,500 earlier). For perennial crops and trees damaged for 33% and above, the relief amount has been enhanced to Rs 22,500 per hectare (Rs 18,000 earlier). Farmers cultivating rain-fed crops would be paid Rs 8,500 per hectare (earlier Rs 7,410) for crop damage for 30% and above. For cattle deaths, the government has announced an increased compensation of Rs 37,500 (Rs 30,000 earlier) for deceased cow/ox and Rs 4,000 (earlier Rs 3,000) per goat. The government also announced an enhanced compensation of Rs 50,000 and Rs 15,000 each for severely and partially damaged catamarans, respectively.

For fully damaged Vallam boats and mechanized boats the relief subsidy has been increased to Rs 1 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh each, respectively, the announcement said. Compensation for damaged fishing nets has been increased by 50% to Rs 15,000.

Meanwhile, an alleged ambiguity in Saturday's relief announcement has triggered a debate among the people. Though the state release said that Rs 6,000 relief would be distributed in cash to livelihood affected people through ration shops, which is an indication that family cards could be used to identify the beneficiaries, it does not clarify if all or only a particular category of family card holders like rice card holders or people without ration cards would be eligible to receive the cash relief.

Government sources with knowledge of Saturday's discussions said that the government was mulling over paying Rs 6,000 cash relief to all in Chennai. Clarity is expected to emerge once the government issues a clarification or when the GO in this regard is issued with detailed modalities and eligibility criterion.