TD Ministers Refute Corruption in Flood Relief, Challenge Opposition for Open Debate

Vijayawada:The Andhra Pradesh government spent Rs 601 crore as flood relief following the heavy rain and floods in recent weeks.

Announcing this on Wednesday, state ministers for revenue, home and municipal administration, Anagani Satyaprasad, Vangalapudi Anita and P Narayana rubbished the YSRC allegations of misuse of such funds.

The three were members of the cabinet sub-committee that assessed the flood-related damage.

Addressing the media in Amaravati on Wednesday, Satyaprasad said `601 crore has been paid as compensation to around 4.06 lakh flood victims. Although it has been only 115 days since the formation of the new government, the ministers, MLAs, officials and staff worked tirelessly as a team to reach help to the affected people, he claimed.

Minister Ponguru Narayana said immediate relief measures were provided to the affected people. A total of `139.44 crore was spent to support the flood victims in the NTR district alone. Out of this, `8.42 crore was spent on temporary accommodation, `92.51 crore on food, `11.22 crore on drinking water, `4.55 crore on medical care, and `20.56 crore on sanitation and rehabilitation centres.

The revenue minister said Vijayawada was hit unexpectedly by the Budameru disaster. Even so, under the leadership of chief minister Chandrababu, the ministers, MLAs, officials and staff worked wonders. Within 10 days, normal conditions were restored to Vijayawada and flood compensation was paid in a “transparent and impartial manner.”

He said that it has been clarified that `23 lakh was spent on matches, candles, generators, electricity etc, for the affected people in the flood-hit areas. The total expenditure incurred for the relief of the flood victims in the district was `139.44 crore.

The minister rubbished YSRC allegations that the government recorded spending crores for matches and candles.

Home minister Anita said the mud accumulated on the roads and houses was cleaned by fire engines. “When the total cost of flood relief was `601 crore, how could a corruption of `300-400 crore be alleged?”

She challenged the opposition leaders to join a public debate with the ministers on the corruption allegations.

Anita said many have given their donations in the form of cheques and DDs, which are all in the records. “We are ready to inform the public about the facts and the accusers can apply for details via RTI questions, if necessary.”