TN govt moves Supreme Court, seeks release of natural disaster relief fund

The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court by filing a lawsuit alleging that its funds for natural disasters are withheld by the Centre.

The MK Stalin-led DMK government has invoked Article 131 of the Constitution for filing an original suit against the Centre in the top court.

The Supreme Court has exclusive and original jurisdiction over legal issues between states or between states or states and the Union government or their instrumentalities.

The state government urged the top court to direct the Centre to provide over Rs 37,000 crore in aid for damages caused by recent floods and cyclone Michaung.

Besides seeking financial assistance of Rs 19,692.69 crore for the damage caused by cyclone Michaung in December last year, the Tamil Nadu government has sought money to the tune of Rs 18,000 crore for losses incurred due to unprecedented rains in southern districts of the state.

The plea also seeks a direction to the Centre to release Rs 2000 crore as interim measure.

Recently, the Karnataka government moved the top court alleging that the Centre was not giving financial assistance to it to meet the challenges faced over a drought situation.

It had sought directions that funds be released from the National Disaster Response Fund.