Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is set to visit Chennai to assess the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung and coordinate further assistance for the affected areas. The cyclone made landfall earlier this month, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and claiming lives in Tamil Nadu.
Expressing the government’s commitment to swift action, Chandrasekhar announced his visit to Chennai on social media platform X. “I’m travelling today to Chennai to visit flood-affected areas and meet government officials to see how our government can help people and the administration further,” he stated. He applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for responding rapidly, allocating nearly 1000 crores, and deploying the Navy and Air Force for relief and rescue operations.
The Minister’s agenda includes a comprehensive review of waterlogged areas, overseeing relief material distribution, evaluating ongoing rescue missions, and engaging with residents severely affected by waterlogging post-cyclone. Chandrasekhar aims to ensure that the central government’s support aligns with the immediate needs of the affected communities.
In a collaborative effort, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the donation of his one month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund to aid the state’s recovery. Stalin also called on all MPs and MLAs to contribute to the fund.
Stalin had earlier sought immediate interim relief of Rs 5,060 crores from Prime Minister Modi, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. He urged the PM to dispatch a central team to assess the damages caused by Cyclone Michaung in the state.
Contributing to the relief efforts, the Tamil Nadu IAS Officers’ Association has donated a day’s salary of its members to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund, demonstrating solidarity with the state government’s ongoing operations.
In a briefing about the relief and restoration work, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena informed that 9,000 officials from other districts have been deployed in Chennai for relief work. The government is actively working to pump out stormwater from low-lying areas.
Chennai Police have been actively involved in restoring normalcy, coordinating with various departments. They managed traffic restoration on most roads in the city and distributed essential items in flood-affected areas. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured all possible help from the Central Government, releasing the first instalment of the Central share to the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), amounting to Rs 450 crores.
As Chennai copes with the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung, the collaborative efforts of the central and state governments, along with the support of various associations, aim to expedite relief measures and aid the affected communities in their recovery process.
