Pondy Govt seeks Rs 300 crores towards interim rain relief

Puducherry, Nov 22 (UNI)The Puducherry administration on Monday sought an interim rain relief of Rs 300 crores from the central government.
Chief Minister N Rangasamy after holding discussions with the central team which visited Puducherry on Monday told news persons that he sought Rs 300 crores towards interim rain relief.
Mr Rangasamy also announced Rs 5,000 rain relief to the yellow color ration card holders in Puducherry. He had already announced Rs 5,000 to the red color ration card holders (BPL). He said Puducherry received extensive rainfall this season compared to other seasons severely affecting several areas including Bahour. Paddy cultivation in 7000 hectors of land were affected in Puducherry and Karaikal regions of the union territory. Several houses damaged and cattle perished.
The chief minister said that he had written to the union home minister seeking the relief and expressed hope that the Centre would provide the required funds. Further relief would be sought after the survey of the central team, he added.
The chief minister also said that the ten kilograms of free rice and two kg free sugar announced for Diwali festival to all ration card holders would be provided next week through the ration shops.
Earlier, the central team had a discussion with the senior officials of the territorial administration when the damages caused by the rain was presented to them in detail.
They also met the Lt Governor and after the night stay, the team would visit some places here to find out the damages caused by the rain and later will leave for Nagapatinam of Tamilnadu via, Cuddalore.