Cyclone Fengal: CM Stalin donates one month’s salary for relief fund

This gesture by the Chief Minister is expected to inspire similar contributions from DMK MLAs and MPs, as well as prominent cine personalities and members of civil society

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Thursday contributed his one-month salary to support relief efforts in the districts affected by Cyclone Fengal.

The Chief Minister handed over a cheque equivalent to a month’s salary to State Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam as a contribution to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund (CMPRF), aimed at assisting cyclone-affected districts.

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This gesture by the Chief Minister is expected to inspire similar contributions from DMK MLAs and MPs, as well as prominent cine personalities and members of civil society.

Earlier, CM Stalin flagged off a consignment carrying one lakh kilograms of rice and other relief materials from the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam.

The relief materials were arranged by the Health Minister and District Secretary Ma Subramanian. The Chief Minister, who has sought Rs 2,000 crore in interim relief from the Union government, emphasised that Tamil Nadu has been working tirelessly to mitigate the effects of natural calamities, despite receiving “limited” financial support from the Centre.

CM Stalin had announced a comprehensive relief package for those affected by Cyclone Fengal and the ensuing heavy rain and floods. As per the package, an amount of Rs 5 lakh will be provided to the families of individuals who lost their lives due to the cyclone and floods, Rs 2,000 will be distributed to ration card holders whose livelihoods have been disrupted in Villupuram, Cuddalore and Kallakurichi districts.

It also announced relief for farmers whose crops were damaged 33 per cent or above and Rs 10,000 for mud huts damaged in the floods.

The state government has also announced that it would conduct special camps in affected districts to issue new certificates, voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, and family cards to individuals who lost these documents in the disaster.

New textbooks and notebooks will be provided to students from affected families. Additionally, District Collectors from Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, and Tiruvannamalai, where the cyclone caused severe damage, have been instructed to submit detailed reports of the worst-affected areas to the government for further action.