PM Narendra Modi announces Rs 1,000 crore more for Tamil Nadu relief work

CHENNAI: After an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced an immediate release of Rs.1,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation works in Tamil Nadu.

"A sum of Rs. 1,000 crore will be released immediately by the Government of India to carry out relief works. This will be in addition to Rs.940 crore which was released earlier (by the Centre)," he said in a brief statement at the naval base "INS Adyar" here.

Flanked by Governor K Rosaiah and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Modi began his brief statement with a sentence in Tamil telling people of Tamil Nadu, "I will be in support of you".

Switching to English, Modi said he has seen the damage and misery caused by the monsoon fury.

"People of India stay with people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of need," he said after the survey in which he was accompanied by Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, who hails from Tamil Nadu.

Modi also tweeted later, "The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of need."

"I have directed that Rs. 1000 crore be released immediately by the Govt of India to Tamil Nadu for immediate relief," he said in another tweet.

"I have seen the damage and misery caused by the extremely heavy rainfall," said another of his tweet.

The prime minister made the announcement after holding consultations with the Chief Minister at the naval base here.

Earlier, Modi arrived from Delhi at the naval working station 'INS Rajali' in Arakkonam, about 60 km from here, and made an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Chennai, its suburbs and Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts.

After an earlier spell of heavy rains and damage in November, the prime minister had announced release of Rs.940 crore to Tamil Nadu.