On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Kerala taking stock of the flood situation there, announced an interim relief of Rs 500 crore for the state. The amount is in addition to the Rs 100-crore assistance announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh a week ago.
Modi has also announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured.
However, Rs 500 crore is just one-fourth of the immediate assistance that the Kerala government sought for disaster relief from the Centre. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested Rs 2,000 crore as immediate assistance during a high-level meeting on Saturday on account of the losses that is currently mounting up to ₹19,512 crore, as per initial assessment. More than 150 people have been killed in the floods and rain-related incidents in Kerala in the past three days. Close to 4 lakh people have been shifted to more than 2,500 relief camps across the state.
Soon after concluding the meeting, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also took to Twitter to "thank" the PM for the flood assistance. "The Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an assistance of ₹500 crore. CM had requested an immediate assistance of ₹2000 crore. We express our thanks to Centre for the assistance," CMO Kerala posted on Twitter.
On the other hand, the PMO has informed that the flood situation in Kerala is being continuously and closely monitored by the Centre. "All help is being provided to the state government to deal with the adverse situation. PM has been in constant touch with the Kerala CM regarding the flood situation," PMO stated on Twitter.
also read
- Kerala rains: Orange alert in 5 districts on October 24 amid twin weather systems over Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal
- Kerala weather update: Red alert in 3 districts on October 22; holiday for Idukki schools, colleges
- Kerala weather update: Flood warning in Wayanad as shutters of Banasura Sagar dam raised again; orange alert in 3 districts on Aug 19 amid heavy rains
- Kerala weather forecast: Red alert for 9 dams; holiday for Thrissur schools, colleges; exams postponed
It informed that the Army has deployed around 10 columns and 10 teams of Engineering Task Force (ETFs) comprising around 790 trained personnels. The Navy is providing 82 teams. The Coast Guard has provided 42 teams, two helicopters and two ships.
A total of 38 helicopters have been deployed for rescue and relief measures. In addition, 20 aircraft are also being used for ferrying resources. Fifty seven teams of NDRF, involving about 1,300 personnel and 435 boats are deployed for search and rescue operations. Five companies of BSF, CISF and RAFs have been deployed in Kerala to carry out rescue and relief measures.
PM also assured the Kerala government that relief materials including foodgrains and medicines would be provided, as requested. PM directed insurance companies to hold special camps for assessment and timely release of compensation to the affected families/beneficiaries under Social Security Schemes. Directions have been issued for early clearance of claims under Fasal Bima Yojna to agriculturists.
The PM directed NHAI to repair main national highways damaged due to floods on priority.