Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately declare the unprecedented rain in the state and its aftereffects a national calamity. In a letter to the prime minister on Wednesday, she said there was extensive destruction and damage to infra-structure and to private property. "Ex-gratia payments are being made for damages to huts and dwellings in slum areas as part of the relief operations, and the restoration and reconstruction of public infrastructure will have to be done out of central and state government resources," she said.
The state, which has submitted a memorandum on the damages on November 23, will submit a supplementary memorandum soon.
"Many of the affected households are in the low- and middle-income groups and their life savings have been wiped out. For these households, it is essential that a special set of measures are conceived and implemented."
She urged that insurance companies be directed to take up the survey and settlement of claims on a campaign mode and with a liberal application of the norms. "It would be desirable if this procedure is outlined at the earliest and the process of settlement of claims completed within a week or ten days," said the chief minister.
She also suggested that as a special measure, banks be directed to provide a limited moratorium on repayment and loans be rescheduled, which would lower the equated monthly installment payments and offer some relief to the victims.
She also asked for soft vehicle loans, continuation of educational loans and personal loans of up to Rs 5 lakh to finance essential domestic durable assets. "It is only with such a package of assistance that many of these families would be in a position to restart their lives," said Jayalalithaa.
Adding that the state would provide special certification to all the affected, based on which banks can sanction loans.
To make domestic durable goods affordable, she also asked for white goods and kitchen equipment sold in flood-affected districts be given excise duty exemption till March 31, 2016.
