Requested Rs 2221.03 crore but allocated only Rs 260.56 crore: Ruling and opposition say landslide disaster relief is insult and political discrimination

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ruling and opposition parties have both expressed protest against the central government's decision to allocate only Rs 260.56 crore for the reconstruction of the Wayanad landslide area. Revenue Minister K Rajan said that the state government is strongly discontented with this. AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal responded that the central government's decision is political discrimination.

Minister Rajan said that the allocation of Rs 260.56 crore to Kerala, which had requested Rs 2221.03 crore to recover from the Wayanad disaster, was a great insult. “Kerala initially requested Rs 2221.03 crore as per the Centre’s instructions, as per the Post Disaster Need Assessment. After that, as per the Prime Minister’s instructions, Kerala again submitted a request to the Centre showing a loss of Rs 1202 crore. Later, the Chief Minister met the Prime Minister in person and requested that the Wayanad disaster be classified as an L3 category disaster (extreme disaster). The National Disaster Management Authority said that it would conduct the necessary investigation in this regard and take a decision, but it was delayed. Good financial assistance from the United Nations and other NGOs would have been available if Wayanad had been declared an extreme disaster as requested by Kerala,” the Revenue Department explains.

"The Disaster Management Team (IMCT) that reached Kerala submitted its report on August 30, but it was only after five months that the Wayanad disaster was included in the list of major disasters. Meanwhile, the Centre opened Recovery and Reconstruction Windows for reconstruction activities wherever a disaster occurs in the country. The post-disaster need assessment report can be submitted within three months. Kerala submitted a report requesting Rs 2201 crore a day before the completion of three months of the Wayanad disaster. The chief officers from Kerala also provided the necessary evidence before the official team led by the Union Home Secretary. However, only one-tenth of the amount requested was sanctioned."

No waiver or fresh loans

Indian government has amended the Disaster Management Act, 2005, removing Section 13, which had allowed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to recommend the waiver of loans from nationalised banks and fresh loans for victims of severe disasters.