Revenue Minister K. P. Rajendran said here on Friday that the district and State disaster management plans would be released in May.
The Minister told journalists that the plans had been finalised and were awaiting approval of the Disaster Management Authority.
The Minister said that the Central government would set up a Regional Resource Centre of the National Disaster Relief Force in Kozhikode. The Centre would have 88 personnel. Another Centre would function from Idukki during monsoon every year. Early warning systems would be established in 220 villages with connectivity to the taluk, district and State levels.
Mr. Rajendran said that the Rs. 169 crore had been sought from the Centre for drought relief. Though a Central team was visit the State to assess the damage this month, their visit had been postponed to May. The issue of relief assistance to the State would be taken up with the Centre when the all party delegation led by Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan meets the Prime Minister next week.
He said that the State government had released Rs. 16.5 crore as compensation to those who had suffered damage to crop in summer rains in Mavelikkara , Chengannur and Karthikappally taluks of Alappuzha district and Adoor taluk of Pathanamthitta district. Assistance had also been provided to the next of kin of seven persons when struck by lightning in Pathanamthitta district recently.
