The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia payment of one lakh rupees to the next of kin of each deceased in the calamity caused by the Tsunami tidal waves on 26th Dec 2004. The ex-gratia payment will be made from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

Thousands of people in the coastal states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Pondicherry have lost their lives and property worth crores of rupees has been damaged.