Tamil Nadu moves Supreme Court against Centre’s delay in releasing disaster relief funds

The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court against the Central government for allegedly not releasing relief funds for damages caused by the recent floods and cyclone Maichung, the Bar and Bench reported on Wednesday.

The state alleged the Centre is yet to act upon the report by an inter-ministerial team that visited the state to assess damages caused by cyclones and floods.

It has sought directions from the top court to the Centre to release Rs 19,692.69 crore as aid for the damage caused by cyclone Michaung in December 2023. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government has also asked for the release of Rs 18,214.52 crore financial assistance towards damages caused by unprecedented and extremely heavy rainfall in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu in the same month.

In its plea, the state said that the Central government has not heeded the state’s repeated requests.

“There is no justification in delaying the release of funds,” the petition said. “The differential treatment in the release of funds in comparison to other states is tantamount to class discrimination. It violates the fundamental rights of those who have suffered due to calamities and faced greater hardships and irreparable losses.”

The plea called the Centre’s treatment towards Tamil Nadu “stepmotherly” and said that it “violates...

Read more