PM announces Rs 500 crore assistance to Kerala

19/08/2018

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 18: Prime Minister NarendraModi undertook an aerial survey of monsoon ravaged Kerala and announced an immediate assistance of rs 500 crore, even as rain and landslides in some parts of the state caused concern.
The rains have so far claimed 194 lives since August 8.
Thousands of stranded people perched on terraces of their homes and marooned buildings were rescued by the Defence, NDRF personnel, fishermen and local people.
Modi, who reviewed the flood situation in the state at a high level meeting in Kochi, also announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh per person to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
The Kerala government, however, had sought an immediate assistance of Rs 2,000 crore and informed the Prime Minister that the state had suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore in the murderous monsoon.
In a series of tweets, Modi later said that he saluted the people of the state for their "fighting spirit" and the nation stood firmly with kerala in this hour.
The Rs 500 crore assistance is in addition to the Rs 100 crore announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on August 12.
"The Central Government is ensuring that the benefits under the PradhanMantriAwasYojana, MGNREGA, various social security schemes, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture reach those affected on a priority basis in Kerala," the Prime Minister said.
Modi's visit comes a week after Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited the state and conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas.
The Prime Minister also assured the state government that relief material, including food grains and medicines, would be provided as requested.
Governor P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister K J Alphons and officials accompanied him during the aerial survey.
Vijayan later told reporters that the Prime Minister was convinced about the gravity of destruction suffered by the state and assured more assistance, he said.
However, Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala wanted the state government to hand over the entire relief operations to the defence forces, a demand which was turned down by Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary KodiyeriBalakrishnan.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi wanted the Prime Minister to declare the Kerala floods a 'national disaster'. Fresh landslides were also reported in high range Idukki.
A large number of people, including senior citizens, women and children were airlifted from isolated buildings, while many others were evacuated in army boats, large fishing vessels and makeshift yachts.
Packed house boats and rafts moving through inundated roads could be seen in all the flood-hit regions of the state. However,people in worst-hit places like Pathana mthitta and Chengannur said that hundreds were yet to be evacuated.
Many who were lucky enough to be rescued narrated how they survived on rain water without food for past four days. Over 54,000 people were rescued in Ernakulam district, mainly in Paravur and Aluvataluks which had witnessed heavy rains and severe water logging in the past two days.
Over 600 students, who were stranded in a building at the campus of SreeSankaracharya University at Kalady near Kochi, since the past two days, were rescued today, they said. According to authorities, since August 8, 194 people have lost their lives and 357 people have perished since May 29, when the south west monsoon hit the state.
Over 3.53 lakh people are in 3026 relief camps across the state after the rains unleased mayhem in Kerala. Crops in over 40,000 hectares have been destroyed, they said. Over 1,000 houses have been fully destroyed and 26,000 partially. Officials said 134 bridges and 16,000 km of Public Works Department roads and 82,000 kms of local roads were completely destroyed, causing a total loss of Rs 21,000 crore.

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