TN seeks Rs 1000 cr special package from Centre

TN seeks Rs 1000 cr special package from Centre to tackle drinking water crisis The Tamil Nadu government today sought a special package of Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre to tackle the acute water crisis in the State on the lines of allocation made to Maharashtra. Speaking at the pre-budget meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman in New Delhi, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerslvam said the country was facing severe drought and its impact was significantly more severe in Tamil Nadu.

He said the vagaries of the monsoon, climatic change, unending inter State river water disputes and fast depleting ground water have all ledto an unprecedented water crisis in Tamil Nadu. Stating that climatic change has also impacted the spread and intensity of rainfall, increasing the frequency and severity of both floods and drought, he said this calls for concerted efforts by the Central and State Governmentto implement Mission Mode Programmes to undertake long term drought and flood mitigation measures.