Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. During the meeting, he submitted a memorandum requesting central aid for areas in Tamil Nadu affected by Cyclone Vardah. The memorandum included a request for Rs 22,573 crores in relief funds.
Presenting a detailed memorandum on damages to Modi at his residence in New Delhi, he also reiterated his earlier request for an immediate 'on account' release of Rs 1,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Panneerselvam also thanked Modi for constituting a central team to make an on-the-spot assessment of the damages and requested that central assistance be given at the earliest to undertake the ongoing restoration and rehabilitation works.
He also presented a separate memorandum containing 29 issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu needing central government's urgent attention. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister indicated that the most pressing issue is the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board in accordance with the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
Before the meeting with Modi, it was reported that he will seek the Bharat Ratna for late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Panneerselvam was also expected to request the installation of a bronze statue of the former AIADMK chief in the Parliament complex.
Following Jayalalithaa’s demise on 5 December, the Tamil Nadu cabinet decided to recommend her name for the Bharat Ratna on 10 December. Additionally, in its first meeting chaired by Pannerselvam post her death, the cabinet decided to request the installation of the statue.
(With inputs from ANI and The News Minute.)
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