Chennai: Tamilnadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has said Rs 132.12 crore has been released from the State Disaster Management Fund towards relief to farmers whose crops were damaged in recent rains.
Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address, he said the DMK government always cared for the welfare of the farmers.
Stating that several varieties of crops were damaged in the three-phase rains that lashed the State since 25 October, 2021, he said Rs 132.12 crore has been released from SDMF for crops damaged in over 1.62 lakh heatares. This would benefit more than 2.65 lakh small and marginal farmers and the amount would be directly credit to the bank account of the farmers in one or two days.
‘Though the Centre has not released funds from the NDRF towards relief, the State government, taking into account the welfare of the farmers, has released this amount from its own funds’, Stalin said.
On the recent floods in Chennai due to heavy rains and release of surplus waters from the reservoirs, Stalin recalled the steps taken to minimise the losses, including deaths, and said the government had immediately release Rs 801 crore without waiting for the NDRF funds from the Centre.
He also announced allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for taking various works in view of the damages caused by rains. The works in this regard will start immediately.
He also said the government was committed to save the people from natural disasters and assured that by the time the next monsoon sets in over the State, there would not be any sufferings for the people due to rains.
He also listed out the steps taken by his government during the second wave of Covid and said there was a significant increase in administering vaccination doses, with more than eight crore jabs given to the people.
He said the government has made the vaccination drive as a movement following which more than 80 per cent of the people have taken their first doses and 67 per cent second doses.
On the employees protest by Taiwanese firm Foxconn over poor hostel and food facilities, Stalin said the government held talks with the company management which has promised to take care of the welfare of the employees by providing all basic facilities to them.
He said the facility is all set to resume manufacturing accessories for mobile and Iphones on 12 January.
Earlier, AIADMK members staged a walk out from the House protesting against a Bill seeking to reduce the term of members elected through Cooperative elections from five to three years. Later, the Bill was passed by voice vote. Later, Speaker M Appavu adjourned the House, which began with the Governor’s address on 5 January, sine die.