Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has decided to write to the Central government seeking liberal financial aid, explaining how Phailin cyclone, heavy rain and floods, along with drought conditions had left the state in dire straits.
He would also write to the Centre to send a team to study the World Bank proposal for assistance for a long-term project for cyclone relief along in coastal areas. Meanwhile, the state government will be approaching banks for rescheduling crop loans.
The chief minister, who chaired a high-level meeting with ministers and officials at the Secretariat on Tuesday, directed the finance department to take necessary measures for clearing the dues towards the relief works of earlier drought, Neelam Cyclone, hailstorm etc, which amount to Rs 763 crore. He informed the meeting that he had already taken up the issue of purchase of damaged cotton by the Cotton Corporation of India with Union minister for textiles Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, who he said had assured to do the needful.
Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, revenue minister N Raghveera Reddy said FCI, Nafed and Markfed are being approached for relaxation regarding the purchase of discoloured and damaged paddy, cotton, soybean, maize etc. He said crops in 11.42 lakh hectares had damaged and cotton crop in 6 lakh hectares was lost. He said compensation is now being paid to the families of those who died due to rain and floods. “We have announced `1.5 compensation per family,” he said.
In case of crop damage, compensation will be paid to the cultivators and not land owners. Details of compensation will be displayed in the village secretary’s office for three days and any objections can be taken up with the respective district collectors. Further, the state government had also asked the Markfed to purchase Bengalgram available with farmers. Distilleries and poultry sector would be approached for the procurement of discoloured and germinated maize.
District collectors were asked for speedy enumeration of loss so that a report could be sent to the Central government at the earliest. The chief minister wanted the officials to give top priority to restoration of minor irrigation tanks and distribution of seeds etc in flood-affected areas.
Tour in Rain-hit areas: Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will tour the rain and flood-affected areas in Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts on Wednesday. According to the CMO, Kiran Reddy will arrive at Visakhapatnam airport at 8 am and from there will leave for Etcheral in Srikakulam district by chopper.
From there, he will go to Adapaka junction in Laveru mandal, where he will inspect damage to cotton crop. He will also inspect breached tanks and damaged houses at Budurmur in Laveru mandal.
Later, he will visit flood affected areas in Arasavalli village, and Srikakulam town. From there he will leave for Voppangi village in Srikakulam mandal to inspect crop damage, followed by a review meeting with officials. He will have lunch at former minister Dharmana Prasad Rao’s house.
In the afternoon, the chief minister will visit Koppada village of Anakapalli mandal in Visakhapatnam and inspect inundated fields and later interact with flood victims at Kothuru village. He will also visit Narayanapuram village of Rambili mandal and inspect the breach to Sarada river.
Later, in the evening, he will review relief operations with district officials. He will have night halt at Narayanapuram village of Rambilli mandal.
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