THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Saturday said he never stated that Kerala did not ask for central assistance for the flood relief activities. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recently criticised Muraleedharan for his remarks.
Speaking to media in Thiruvananthapuram, Muraleedharan clarified that he has not made any such statements. "I have communicated with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about deploying more defence force form the centre. However, he said there was sufficient number of forces for rescue operations. This communication was misinterpreted", he said.
Earlier, Muraleedharan said that the Union government had given all assistance to the state and the state government need to ask for more assistance if needed. The centre has already communicated to the state that the union government would extend support to the state pertaining to rehabilitation of the affected people in floods and landslide. Mualeedharan had also added that the centre had promised all assistance based on the request of the high-level committee led by Chief Secretary Tom Jose. The service of the National Disaster Management Force will be continued until the state government's request to end the service.
Later Pinarayi Vijayan had criticised Union minister of state for the latter's comment that 'enough' central aid has been distributed in the flood-hit state. Muraleedharan had claimed the state has not yet spent Rs 1,500 crore out of the Rs 3,000 crore sanctioned as central aid last year. Vijayan said the money for long term projects like rebuilding cannot be expected to be spent within a year.