VIJAYAWADA: The inter-ministerial central team that toured the cyclone Titli affected areas of Srikakulam district called on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday.
During his meeting with the team, Naidu informed the central team that the cyclone caused damage to the tune of Rs 3,673.10 crore and that the team recommend the Centre to release Central aid on humanitarian grounds immediately.
The central team was led by joint secretary (DM) Union Home Ministry, Sanjeev Kumar Jindal. Alleging that the Centre’s attitude was most worrying, the Chief Minister recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to release Rs 1000 crore when cyclone Hudhud hit the State, but released only Rs 650 crore.
Naidu also informed the team that the cyclone-hit Srikakulam is the most backward district with lowest per capita income. The Central team should recommend a sanction of relief on humanitarian grounds, Naidu again said. The Chief Minister told the team that the State machinery monitored relief measures by camping in cyclone-affected Srikakulam district for a week. He said the Centre should have reacted immediately to the cyclone victims. He wondered why Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited Guntur to open a BJP party office, did not visit the cyclone-affected areas.
Apart from Jindal, the team comprised BK Srivastava, director-in-charge, dept of agriculture and cooperation and farmers welfare, Deena Nath, consultant, dept of expenditure, OP Suman, deputy director, Union Power Ministry, SK Singh, regional officer, Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry regional office, and Rajeev Singhal, director, Union Ministry of Water Resources, regional office, CWC praised the relief measures taken up by the state government in cyclone areas and responded positively on the proposals submitted by state government on cyclone damage.
Of the total loss due to cyclone Titli includes damage to roads and buildings worth Rs 452.99 crore, horticulture worth Rs 1,000.10 crore, industries worth Rs 142.40 crore, panchayat raj works worth Rs 239.76 crore, power worth Rs 505.96 crore, damages to houses worth Rs 448.15 crore, water resources worth Rs 107.39 crore, animal husbandry worth Rs 38.62 crore, rural water supply worth Rs 127.23 crore, fisheries worth Rs 53.55 crore, agriculture worth Rs 498.45 crore, civil supplies Rs 49.37 crore and ex gratia worth Rs 0.72 crore among others.
Collectors’ conference on 28th of every month
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to conduct collectors’ conference on 28th of every month. On the final day of the collectors’ conference at Undavalli on Friday, Naidu took stock of the progress of various departments. Immediately after completion of the conference, he went into a huddle with ministers and discussed his visit to Delhi. The CM said a helipad be set up in all mandal and Assembly headquarters to take up rescue operations during emergencies.