PM Modi sanctions nearly Rs 940 cr assistance for flood-hit Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday instructed the immediate release of financial assistance of nearly Rs 940 crore to deal with the flood situation in rain- battered Tamil Nadu, hours after Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote to him for funds to sustain relief work.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed the release of financial assistance worth Rs 939.63 crore immediately to Tamil Nadu to assist it in dealing with the situation arising from the floods," an official release said.

The Centre is also sending a team to Tamil Nadu to assess the damage and "further action will be taken after the team submits its report," it said. The assistance was sanctioned in response to a request of the state government.

With the North-East Monsoon leaving a trail of destruction in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has pegged the damage at Rs 8,481 crore, with Jayalalithaa today urging Modi to immediately release Rs 2,000 crore to sustain relief work.

The Chief Minister, in her letter to Modi, gave a detailed memorandum on the flood damage. It was sent to the Prime Minister's Office by a delegation led by STK Jakkayan, Special Representative of Tamil Nadu.

She said that 169 lives have been lost in various rain- related incidents since October 1, 2015.

The state government had also asked for a central team to be deputed immediately to make an on-the-spot assessment of the damage.

"This assessment has been made as an immediate measure since the Tamil Nadu government requires assistance from the Centre to meet the high expenditure requirements that such a severe calamity has caused. The funds required are well beyond the resources available with the state, including the State Disaster Response Fund," she said.