Jaya seeks Rs 300 crore for housing in Kudankulam

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday urged New Delhi to provide Rs 300 crore separately to build basic infrastructure for people living around the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP).

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday urged New Delhi to provide Rs 300 crore separately to build basic infrastructure for people living around the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), stressing on her government's efforts in ending the anti-plant protests.

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"It will not be proper for the government to meet the commitment of Rs 300 crore towards this by adjusting the fund into the state's already entitled resources. It should provide Rs 300 crore outside the plan exercise," Jayalalithaa said.

"The state government made enormous efforts to bring the anti-nuclear plant agitation to an end. This effort will benefit the central government's long-term policy on nuclear energy," Jayalalithaa said.

The chief minister was speaking at a meeting with deputy chairman Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia to finalise the state's annual plan outlay for 2012-13.

The chief minister said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured her of a Rs 500 crore package for development schemes.

She said a sum of Rs 300 crore will be required for providing housing to 10,000 people living around the KNPP.

"The remaining Rs 200 crore will be spent by Nuclear Power Plant under its corporate social responsibility schemes to meet other basic needs like a fish landing centre, cold storage facilities, a motor boat repair workshop, among others," Jayalalithaa said.