THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday called upon Malayalees to contribute generously to the government’s fund drive from September 10-15 to rebuild the flood-hit state. The people should make donations according to their financial status and ministers, people’s representatives and government officers will lead the fund collection in every district.
The floods had inflicted heavy losses on the state’s denizens and various schemes were rolled out by the government to help the flood-hit rebuild shattered lives. In the prevailing circumstances, the government ought to tread cautiously while shouldering the responsibility of building a new Kerala by compensating the loss incurred by the society, Pinarayi said.
Since the devastation caused by the floods has been put at Rs 30,000 crore, Kerala has to seek support from both within and outside the state. The pensioners and state government employees have agreed to contribute one month’s salary. Besides, top-ranking professionals, traders, merchants, vehicle owners, employees, farmers and people from all walks of life can play a vital role in the rebuilding efforts.
According to the Chief Minister, the state government has received contribution like coins from piggy bank to the money boxes of elders. There were several citizens who voluntarily contributed money they had set apart for the marriage of children apart from gold ornaments and properties donated for the cause Twenty-four lakh people had so far responded to the state government’s call by making online payments to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund, Pinarayi said.