India not accepting foreign aid for Kerala, confirms Thailand envoy

Kochi: As the flood-hit southern state of Kerala struggles to find its feet and cripples back to normalcy, the ambassador of Thailand took to Twitter on Wednesday to mention that he had been 'informally informed' that India will not accept foreign aid.    

"Informally informed with regret that the Government of India is not accepting overseas donations for Kerala flood relief. Our hearts are with you, the people of Bharat," Thailand''s Ambassador to India Chutintorn Sam Gongsakdi tweeted.

Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has promised an assistance of USD 100 million (about Rs 700 crore) for the state’s reconstruction. 

However, sources said the Central government has decided to decline all offers of financial help from foreign countries.

On Wednesday at a press conference, Vijayan pointed out that the 2016 National Disaster Management Policy says, "If a government of another country voluntarily offers assistance as a goodwill gesture in solidarity with the disaster victims, the central government may accept the offer." 

However, he said, that the government is holding talks and the state will have to wait and see what happens. 

Earlier, sources in New Delhi had said that the NDA government has “taken a considered decision to rely solely on domestic efforts to tide over the challenges”.

According to some reports, even the previous UPA-2 government had declined foreign aid in 2013 when floods struck Uttarakhand.

On Monday, the Union home ministry declared Kerala floods, the worst in 100 years, a “calamity of severe nature” after the deluge left hundreds dead in a fortnight. 

About 10.78 lakh people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children under 12, have been displaced and sheltered in 3,200 relief camps.