THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has declared 1,259 villages from 13 districts as flood- or landslide-affected. According to a government order, all villages in Thrissur (255), Ernakulam (127), Kottayam (100), Alappuzha (93), Pathanamthitta (70), Idukki (67) and Wayanad (49) districts have been declared flood-affected.
In addition, 142 villages in Palakkad, 119 villages in Malappuram, 76 villages from Kozhikode, 56 villages in Kollam, 48 villages in Thiruvananthapuram and 30 villages in Kannur have been declared flood-hit.
According to Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) P H Kurian, a formal gazette notification will be issued shortly declaring all these villages flood-affected. Once notified, people in the affected villages will get the benefit of the moratorium announced on the repayment of agricultural, dairy and education loans availed by flood victims.
In reply to a question, he said this list is purely for availing benefits such as moratorium on loans. The list has nothing to do with the distribution of funds for affected people or reconstructing affected regions, for which the authorities have prepared a detailed report, and according to which the rebuilding is being carried out, he said.
Moratorium
Taking note of the extent of devastation, banks have declared a moratorium on repayment of interest on crop loans for one year. The State-Level Bankers Committee has also decided to restructure the repayment of the loan amount over a period of five years.
Further, nationalised banks, cooperative banks, small finance banks and scheduled banks have agreed not to invoke the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act to attach properties for default on crop loans.
A Rapid Disaster Need Assessment conducted by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank has put the loss incurred by major sectors at `25,050 crore. While the Agriculture Department has estimated losses at `19,000 crore, Kerala Agricultural University has pegged the loss in the farming sector at `3,646.40 crore.