Narayanasamy to give Rs 10 lakh, salary to flood victims

Puducherry: Union Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy on Sunday said he would contribute one month`s salary and Rs 10 lakh from out of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development fund to Uttarakhand Flood Relief Fund.

Talking to reporters here, he said this was in response to appeals made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for contributions by Members of Parliament for the victims of flood-ravaged Uttrakhand. The minister also justified the decision to disinvest five per cent shares in Neyveli Lignite Corporation stating that the funds accruing through disinvestment would be ploughed back for development of the undertaking and also for funding several developmental activities in the country. There was nothing wrong to effect disinvestment in an undertaking. "Such disinvestments had been done in the past in ONGC, Bharath Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, BHEL and SAIL". He said team of officials from National Textiles Corporation would soon visit government AFT mill in the union territory for assessing of its financial position and also other aspects as per the direction of the Prime Minister. "I have sought a relief of Rs 300 crores for restoration of production in the the sick mill", he said. PTI