THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet has decided to mobilise Rs 15,900 crore via loans from multiple agencies including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, other bilateral funding agencies, banks and other internal financial agencies for the reconstruction of flood-ravaged regions of the state.
The money will be used in the following sectors; roads under the PWD and LSGD, water supply, flood mitigation, irrigation, coastal protection, rehabilitation in coastal areas, public institutions, health sector and environment protection. The Cabinet has approved the recommendation for a total expenditure of Rs 15,882 crore in these sectors.
The Cabinet meeting also decided to ascertain the flood-related damage in the agriculture and plantation sectors and to explore the possibility of mobilising funds for reconstruction. The state government had approached the Union Finance Ministry for availing loans from World Bank, ADB and other bilateral funding agencies.
Subsequently, the World Bank and ADB teams had conducted a Rapid Damage Assessment and Need Analysis (RDNA) from September 12 to September 20 in the state. The RDNA report has been submitted to the state government.
WB and ADB will submit the final report in the first week of October, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. As per the RDNA, the loss sustained by the major sectors amount to Rs 25,050 crore.
However, the state government has concluded the losses to sectors like industry and commerce will be way above the WB-ADB assessment.
The government also expects to receive an accurate picture of the loss to livelihood and the social impact of the disaster through the post-disaster need assessment (PDNA) conducted by UN agencies.
The Cabinet has appointed the Chief Secretary to take steps to restart major projects that were dragged to a halt by the mid-August floods. These include the GAIL gas pipeline project, the development of the national highway, the construction of the Edamon-Kochi stretch of the Koodamkulam-Madakkathara power corridor and the City Gas Project in Kochi.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declined to comment on the sexual abuse complaint filed by a woman DYFI leader against P K Sasi MLA. On the controversy surrounding the salary challenge, he said the government was not forcing anyone to make the donation to the CMDRF. He also said there was no delay on the part of the police in arresting Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal.