Promising to extend all help to build houses damaged in Cyclone Hudhud in a coastal village, Cheppala Uppada, in Visakhapatnam, Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu announced that he, along with Swarna Bharat Trust of Nellore, would adopt the village.
The Minister, who spent Diwali festival in the Hudhud-hit city, travelled along the coast up to Bheemunipatnam to get a first hand view of the damage done to coastal villages, shrimp hatcheries and establishments that bore the brunt of the cyclone.
Mr. Naidu announced that he, along with Swarna Bharat Trust of Nellore and a few other philanthropic friends, would adopt Chepala Uppada village and its hamlets on the Bhimili beach road for development and reconstruction.
He visited the village along with Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas, MP K.Haribabu and trustee of Swarna Bharat Trust Atluri Ashok and assured the villagers that he would extend all help to build the houses which were damaged in the cyclone. He also assured them that he would develop community facilities and see to it that protected drinking water is available to the village.
The Minister also promised to donate his one month salary of Rs. 1 lakh as his personal contribution for relief and Rs. 25 lakh from his MPLADS funds for rehabilitation. Another Trustee of Swarna Bharat Trust I Deepa Venkat informed him that the trust would contribute Rs.10 lakh for rehabilitation of the village.
The Minsiter called upon Central Government undertakings to fully support the sanitation campaign through their CSR fund and also to adopt one village each for rehabilitation.
Congresspresident Sonia Gandhi appreciated Mr. Naidu for spending his festival among the cyclone hit people when she called him up to greet him for Diwali, the Minister said.
Mr. Naidu, who participated in a Swachh Visakha campaign and cleaned up the beach here on Friday morning, expressed concern over the beach erosion and urged authorities to take immediate steps to stop further damage.
The Minister, who reviewed the damage to the industries here on Thursday, was present when a cheque forRs. 5 crore was handed over to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by Chairman and Managing Director Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd P. Madhusudhan towards cyclone relief.
The Minister also sought intervention of the Finance Minister in speeding up insurance claims of industries and establishments.
