The Hindu : Front Page : Central team convinced of losses: VS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Central team convinced of losses: VS

State says it is eligible for an aid of Rs.562.58 crore
Yet to receive Rs.50 crore released by Centre

V.S. Achuthanandan says non-receipt of aid will be taken up with the Centre.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala could convince the visiting Central team that the losses incurred by the State in floods, landslips and other calamities during monsoon this year exceeded the State’s own estimates, said Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan here on Monday.

Talking to presspersons after discussions with the team leader S.K. Chattopadhyay (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs) here, the Chief Minister said Mr. Chattopadhyay had conceded that the losses exceeded Rs.1,500 crore. However, the aid would be only according to five-year-old norms, and hence would be much lower than the actual losses.

Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran, who also participated in the discussions, said the Joint Secretary had asked the State to submit a supplementary memorandum including details of land lost in sea erosion and loss of husk kept for retting in the backwaters. The Minister said the State had not yet received Rs.50 crore said to have been released by the Centre from the National Calamity Contingency Fund.

Mr. Achuthanandan said there was no point in blaming Central teams for non-receipt of assistance. The matter was to be taken up with the Centre.

Asked about the remark of Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran against the Central team, the Chief Minister said it was not the first time that Mr. Sudhakaran had made such comments. It needs to be regarded only with reference to his earlier remarks on various subjects.

The Central team, which is visiting the flood-hit areas as three separate groups, will be holding further discussions with Ministers and officials here on Tuesday evening.

In a memorandum submitted to the team, the State said it was eligible for an assistance of Rs. 562.58 crore as per the Contingency Relief Fund norms. As many as 199 persons had died during the monsoon, 1,784 houses were destroyed and 40,140 houses damaged.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page