THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) draft report prepared with the support of 11 UN agencies indicates the state may need around Rs 27,000 crore for rebuilding Nava Keralam. The report was handed over by the United Nations team to the state Chief Secretary Tom Jose.
Express had earlier reported that PDNA is prepared for the first time in India.
The report submitted by the UN Resident Coordinator and also WHO India Chief Dr Henk Bekedam and Venkatesapathy IAS, PDNA state coordinator and fisheries director, mentions that rebuilding roads requires Rs 8,554 crore, housing Rs 5,659 crore, agriculture, fisheries and livestock Rs 4,499 crore, livelihood Rs 3,903 crore, irrigation Rs 1,484 crore and water and sanitation Rs 1,331 crore.
Green state
The report has suggestions to make Kerala the first green state in India with an eco-sensitive and risk-informed approach. The report also gives several high-ticket innovations and global examples to build back better (BBB) Kerala. In a significant development, the UN team suggested a separate tax slab should be brought for around 12 lakh houses and flats which are not being used.
A senior official told Express, “This is a system in place in developed nations across the globe and when the taxes of these flats and houses are increased they will be at least rented out. Which means money is injected into the economy.”
The official said, “Kerala is considered very fragile and constructing more and more houses and flats means we are increasing the carbon footprint and to reduce that such taxing systems should be in place.”
The report was prepared by 11 UN agencies, including UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women, WFP, UNFPA, WHO, ILO, FAO, UNEP and European Union along with two integrated water management experts from the Netherlands.
Rita Missal, UN PDNA coordinator, Job Zachariah, UN state team leader, Simon Warmerdam and Paul Van Meel, experts from the Netherlands, attended the meeting from UN among others.P H Kurien, Rajeev Sadanandan, Biswas Mehta, D N Singh, Tinku Biswal, A Shahjahan, D V Venu, K Biju, M Shivashankar, K R Jyothilal and other secretaries represented the state government along with Chief Secretary Tom Jose.