1st Urban Flood Mitigation Project: PM Modi Okays Rs 561 Crore For Chennai

New Delhi: Chennai is still reeling from the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Michaung.

The Central government on Thursday extended its helping hand to Tamil Nadu, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving his nod to the country’s first urban flood mitigation project in Chennai and allocating Rs 561.29 crore for ‘Integrated Urban Flood Management’ activities in the Chennai Basin project.

Home Minister Amit Shah took to social media platform X to announce the grant for Tamil Nadu government.

“Chennai is facing major floods, the third such occurring in the last eight years. We are witnessing more instances of metropolitan cities receiving excessive rainfall, leading to sudden flooding. Guided by a pro-active approach, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the first urban flood mitigation project of ₹ 561.29 crore for ‘Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project’ under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), which also includes Central assistance of ₹ 500 crore,” Shah wrote.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conducted an aerial survey and had a high-level meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin after which the former confirmed that the first instalment of Rs 450 crore was already disbursed and the second instalment released on Thursday.

Torrential rains early this week left major parts of the city submerged. Four days later, many areas in the southern metropolis are still under water, underlining the importance of improved flood prevention measures.