Chennai floods: Jayalalitha announces 10,000 houses for homeless, compensation for farmers

Chennai: Days after DMK chief Karunanidhi criticised her over flood assistance, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a comprehensive relief package for the flood-hit, including 10,000 houses, a dole between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 as well as compensation for loss of crops and poultry for farmers. A financial assistance of Rs 10,000 for those who lost their huts, allocation of 10,000 tenements besides an aid of Rs 5,000 will be provided to families hit by the deluge, she said. [caption id=“attachment_2536390” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  J Jayalalithaa in file photo. PTI[/caption] “For families who lost their huts, a flood relief of Rs 10,000, ten kilo rice, a dhoti and saree will be given,” she said in an official release in Chennai. Also, for such families, permanent houses will be provided, it said. “Immediately, 10,000 tenements will be allotted in Chennai,” she said. For other families hit by the floods, cash assistance of Rs 5,000, 10 kilo rice, a dhoti and a saree will be provided, she said. On 5 December, DMK chief Karunanidhi had said Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy visited flood victims and offered comprehensive relief measures including Rs 4,000 each for ration card holders. “Has an announcement like that been made so far in Tamil Nadu?”, he had asked. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the relief assistance will be deposited in bank accounts of beneficiaries and aid-in-kind like rice, dhoti and saree will be distributed through Public Distribution System outlets, she said. Jayalalithaa stated that she has ordered an enumeration of affected families immediately, and that the aid will be disbursed in a few days after completing the listing. “I have ordered building necessary houses for those who have lost their huts. For all those who have lost their huts, safe (pucca) houses will be provided,” she said. For those living along the banks of Adyar, Cooum Rivers and Buckingham Canal, who lost their houses, the Chief Minister said,“I have ordered immediate allocation of 10,000 tenements built by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board in Okkiyam Thuraipakkam and Perumbakkam.” PTI