Jagan to release crop loss relief for flood-hit by month-end

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that financial relief to the Godavari flood-hit farmers would be released by the end of this month. The Chief Minister sanctioned construction of a revetment to Godavari river bund in island villages over a stretch of 3.5 km at a cost of Rs 150-200 crore to check soil erosion in those habitations.

 Jagan Mohan Reddy visited the flood-affected people in Kunalanka village in Mummidivaram mandal and Thotharamudivaripeta and Kondukuduru villages in Ainavilli mandal in the BR Ambedkar Konaseema district on Tuesday. This was the last leg of his two-day tour of the flood-hit villages in Alluri Sitarama Raju, Eluru and Ambedkar Konaseema districts.

Addressing the flood-affected, the CM said Godavari river witnessed floods with a discharge of nearly 16 lakh cusecs of water from Sir Arthur Cotton barrage at Dowleswaram. Several villages located along the river course were affected. Unlike the earlier practice of visiting the flood-affected areas immediately, he avoided such a photo opportunity for publicity.

“Our government concentrated its full attention on providing immediate relief to the affected people,” he asserted.

He said, “I geared up the entire administration to see that the flood-hit people get proper rescue and relief. I asked district collectors to visit the affected areas and provide all help to the people as a matter of first priority. I told them I would visit these areas after a week and enquire with the people whether there was any deficiency in providing relief. I told officials not a single individual should feel helpless. I appreciate the work of the collectors and the entire team of personnel involved in providing rescue and relief. No one has complained to me about any deficiency in delivery of relief to them.”

The CM added, “I want the people to notice the change in the style of governance by our government in the last four years, and of the previous governments. We are not after publicity.”

The CM directed the officials to start enumeration of damage or loss to the crops in two days and prepare the list of beneficiaries and display it at RBKs in a transparent manner for social audit. "In case any affected person fails to get his or her name enrolled in the list, he or she can approach the authorities concerned to include the name. The government is for all.”

The CM announced sanction of a revetment to Godavari bund to a stretch of 3.5 km and promised to include a few more island villages if need be and extend the distance, He sanctioned Rs 150-200 crore for its construction.

Jagan Mohan Reddy asked the officials to call for tenders, fix the agency and start the construction works in two months’ time. District collector and MLAs must take photos of the ongoing works of revetment and send them to him, he said.