New Delhi, June 11: Thanking the Centre for a Rs 1,250 crore hike in the plan size for Tamil Nadu during 2003-04, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today expressed concern over low allocation of resources under drought relief fund assistance for the state. "Tamil Nadu is reeling under drought and despite our two memoranda for assistance for drought under relief operations we have been given Rs 332,12 crore as against Rs 3,525.92 crore sought for the purpose which is inadequate," she told reporters after a meeting with Finance Minister Jaswant Singh.
The chief minister said similarly the Centre had sanctioned a low amount of 3.52 lakh tonnes of rice as against the demand of 14.5 lakh tonnes for the food-for-work programme launched by the state. "I have asked the finance minister to ensure that the drought relief assistance to Tamil Nadu is stepped up and the rice allocation should be increased to atleast 6 lakh tonnes," she said. "The finance minister said he would put in a word to Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani who is the chairman of the Task Force on Drought Relief," she said. Bureau Report