Centre approves Rs 153.20 crore financial assistance as flood relief for Kerala

NEW DELHI: The central government sanctioned Rs 153.20 crore in financial assistance to Kerala in connection with the rain-wrecked disasters in the state. This is the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to deal with the Mundakkai and Chooralmala disasters in Wayanad. It is expected that more central assistance will arrive as the state spends the existing amount. At the same time, the state is demanding a special assistance package considering the Wayanad disaster as one of the deadliest the state has ever encountered.

The central government, meanwhile, has not decided on the request to waive off the bank loans of those affected by the disaster in Wayanad.

Rs 1066.80 crore has been allocated for flood-landfall-affected states, including Kerala, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Uttarakhand. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced this through an email. He also clarified that Rs 6,166.00 crore has already been allocated from SDRF to 14 states and Rs 1988.91 crore from NDRF to 12 states this year.

Assam will get Rs 375 crore and Uttarakhand will get Rs 455 crore. Manipur will get Rs 29.20 crore, Meghalaya Rs 30.40 crore and Mizoram Rs 22.80 crore.