Tamilnadu Chief Minister Ms.Jayalalithaa has requested Prime Minister to immediately declare the unprecedented catastrophic and cataclysmic event in the state as a national calamity.<br/><br/>In a letter to Mr. Narendra Modi, Ms.Jayalalithaa has appealed for excise duty exemption for white goods and kitchen equipment to be sold in the flood affected districts till 31st March. She has suggested that flood affected families may be liberally extended soft loans by the Banks to finance essential domestic durables. <br/><br/>Appealing to the Prime Minister to direct the Banks and insurance companies to join in the relief efforts in their own spheres of loans and settlement of claims and thus enable people to restart their normal lives.