NEW DELHI: An all-party delegation from Kerala on Thursdat Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to release more aid for the flood-hit state. The delegation also urged him to allow foreign assistance.
The 11-member delegation comprising MPs from the Congress, CP9M), RSP and Kerala Congress (Mani) apprised the home minister of the current situation in the state. Kerala, since August 8, is under the grip of the worst floods since 1924 and 320 people lost their lives in the natural calamity.
“Irrespective of party, we are united for rebuilding Kerala. We want more funds. We have asked the home minister to waive off the restriction on foreign assistance. The home minister has assured us that he will speak to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in this regard," senior Congress leader and former Defence Minister AK Antony said after the meeting.
The team included leaders such as Antony, KV Thomas, KC Venugopal, K Suresh, MK Raghavan all from the Congress , P Karunakaran and PK Biju from the CPI-M, NK Premachandran of the RSP, Jose K Mani of the Kerala Congress (Mani) and Joice George, an independent. The Kerala leaders said Union Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam, who is from the state, could not join them as he was away in China.
The Centre had already allotted Rs. 600 crore for flood relief after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the home minister visited the state.
According to a preliminary estimate, the loss and damage due to the rain fury was Rs. 20,000 crore, but Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it would be much more.
Union minister of state for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan said on Wednesday that the Centre would consider all demands, including increasing the borrowing limit of the state, to raise funds for rehabilitation of flood victims and rebuilding the state.
A central team is expected to visit Kerala soon to assess the damage caused and a decision on the assistance would be made after its report.