Congress Telangana and Andhra Pradesh units seek aid for Vizag

Hyderabad: The Pradesh Congress Committees of both and Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states met separately on Monday and decided to send special teams for taking up relief measures in the cyclone-affected north AP region for the cyclone-hit victims.

TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah said at their meeting that they would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce Rs 2,000 crore special assistance towards relief and rehabilitation measures as sought by AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He said Telangana PCC will send all the required essential commodities  to the affected areas as a humanitarian gesture.

APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy, who held a meeting with former PCC chief Botsa Satyana-rayana, former ministers Panabaka Laxmi and An-am Ramnarayana Reddy said, “I have briefed Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the situation and she has asked us to extend help in whatever way possible.”

The APCC president also demanded that the Centre declare the Hudhud cyclone as national calamity and immediately announce Rs 2,000 crore for the state government to restore the damaged structures and to take up relief and rehabilitation measures.

He said the APCC will write to the Prime Minister and home minister requesting the same. He also requested the AP Chief Minister to ensure that the transport and power sectors which were hit badly be given top priority in restoration.