PM announces rs 500 crore assistance to Kerala

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.

Prime Minister

Narendra Modi 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

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 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 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 defense forces, a demand which

was turned down by Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri

Balakrishnan.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi wanted the Prime Minister

to declare 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 houseboats 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 Pathanamthitta

and Chengannur said that hundreds were yet to be evacuated.

Many who were lucky enough to be rescued narrated how

they survived on rainwater without food for the past four days.

Over 54,000 people were rescued in Ernakulam district,

mainly in Paravur and Aluva taluks 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 Sree Sankaracharya 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 unleashed mayhem in Kerala.

Agriculture 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 km of local roads were

completely destroyed, causing a total loss of Rs 21,000 crore.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)