Telangana: CM Revanth Announces Rs 5 Lakh Ex-gratia to Flood Victims
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said the weekend rain and flooding had caused damage worth more than `5,000 crore, and asked the Centre to declare it as a national calamity.
Asking the Centre to provide at least `2,000 crore to the state to carry out relief and rehabilitation work, Revanth Reddy invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the flood-affected areas and assess the damage.
Speaking at a review meeting in Hyderabad, and during his visits to Suryapet and Khammam to assess the flood damage, the Chief Minister hiked the compensation for the next of kin of the dead from `4 lakh to `5 lakh. Farmers would get `10,000 per acre for damaged crop.
He also directed officials to allocate `5 crore each to Khammam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Mahbubabad and Suryapet districts which were affected due to incessant rain and flooding.
At the review meeting, he directed officials to remain vigilant in the areas where heavy rains are predicted over the next 48 hours. Collectors were told to set up call centre in their respective districts to answer calls from flood-affected persons.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to set up a system at Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) at Jubilee Hills to deal with emergency situations and to provide training to eight Special Police Force battalions as part of the State Disaster Response Force on par with the NDRF. Each team would have 100 personnel.
"The government will provide `5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of people who died in the floods. The authorities are instructed to respond quickly to the damage caused to the public. Compensation will be increased for the loss of cattle, goats and sheep,” Revanth Reddy said during the meeting.
He said the state government would submit a comprehensive report on flood damages to the Centre and seek immediate assistance and flood relief. HE said he had decided to write to Prime Minister Modi requesting him to visit the flood-affected areas.
The police commissioners of Greater Hyderabad were asked to address traffic problems during heavy rains. The Chief Minister also directed officials to take up repairs of the damaged roads due to heavy rains and resolve power cut problems on a priority.
Speaking at Namavaram of Mothe mandal in Suryapet district, the Chief Minister said called th loss of life and property as unfortunate. Apart from ` 5 lakh ex gratia to the next of kin of the dead, the government would `50,000 for death of each cattle and `5,000 for death of sheep and goats.
He informed that `10,000 per acre would be extended to the farmers for damaged crops. Under Pradhan Manthri Avas Yojana, full value of the construction cost would be extended to the owners of the houses which were damaged. Indiramma houses would be sanctioned to the eligible families, which have affected due to the floods, he added.
Going through a report submitted by district officials, the Chief Minister said that 21 irrigation tanks have breached and crops in 20,000 acres were submerged in Suryapet district. In all, 420 persons from 15 villages have been shifted to rehabilitation centres.
“I came to Suryapet to conduct a review meeting with an intention to instill confidence in the people that the state government would help them when they are in trouble, the Chief Minister said.
He said officials had been asked to work with in coordination with elected representatives in taking up relief measures. Electricity supply was also resorted in some area, where wires damaged due to rains.
Former Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu had donated `10 lakh to the Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF) and invited voluntary organisations and individuals to contribute. He said Opposition parties should cooperate with the government. He urged Union ministers from the state G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay to take the initiative to secure `2,000 crore immediately from the Centre.
