Drought: CM expresses confidence of receiving Central funds

Tamil Nadu government today expressed confidence that it will receive central funds to address the drought in the state, following an inter ministerial team having completed its assessment of the situation.
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said Centre had deputed a team of officials to make an on the spot assessment after state government had requested a drought assistance of Rs 39,565 crore and he himself had taken up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on January 19.
"The Central government had deputed a team to assess the situation from January 23-25. The team has completed its assessment. I believe we will get Central assistance on the basis of the team submitting its report soon," he said.

Replying to the debate on the motion to thank the Governor for his address to the Assembly, Panneerselvam also recalled his government's efforts in handling of the situation, including announcing the state as drought-hit and offering compensation and sops on loans to tide over the situation.
The damage suffered by every farmer was being studied and their bank details sought in order to deposit compensation directly into their accounts, he said.
Steps were also being taken to expand the mandays under MGNREGA from 100-150 days, while other measures including desilting of water bodies and plans to address drinking water shortage, he said.

Among others, he said the state was no more suffering from power cuts, an issue that dominated the 2011 election scene, and that various projects and schemes including purchase of electricity had ensured the state's installed capacity was 18,182 mw. There was no power cut in Tamil Nadu from June 5, 2015, he said, adding the consumption stood at 296 million units a day now.

In the next five years, plans were afoot to add another 13,000 mw of power with the help of a number of projects.
On Cauvery issue, he assured that the state will not allow Karnataka to construct a check dam at Mekedatu in 'violation' of the 2007 final award of the Cauvery Tribunal.

Further, of the total quantum of 67.140 tmcft of cauvery water realised by the state following Karnataka releasing it, from June 2016 to January 26, 2017, 30.642 tmc ft was received "due to the intervention" of the Supreme Court, he said referring to Tamil Nadu moving the apex court on the matter.
On jallikattu issue, he pointed out that the state's Bill to replace an ordinance had received the Presidential assent yesterday and that it has also been published in the state gazette. Legislation had been enacted in just a week's time, he added.
On the demonetisation issue, he said after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement on November 8 last year, the next day, adequate protection was provided to ATMs across the state and therefore there was no untoward incident.

Earlier, he submitted the first supplementary estimates of Rs 28,942.69 crore for 2016-17. Presenting it, he said state government has decided to 'takeover' the debt of power utility TANGEDCO amounting to Rs 22,815 crore by sanctioning an assistance for the said sum.