CM will seek liberal Central aid for rain damages

Hyderabad, Oct 29 : Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will write to Government of India for liberal Central assistance for the Phailin cyclone, drought, heavy rains and flood relief in different parts of Andhra Pradesh.

The State Government will also write to the Government of India to send a team to study the World Bank proposal for assistance for a long-term project for cyclone relief throughout the 50 kms coastal areas. The State Government will also approach the Banks for reschedule of crop loans. The Chief Minister also asked the Finance department to consider clearing the old dues towards the relief works of earlier drought, Neelam Cyclone, hailstorm etc totaling about Rs.763 crs.

The Chief Minister on Tuesday reviewed relief works and latest position in the flood-affected areas in the State with Ministers and officials at Secretariat. Ministers Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, N Raghuveera Reddy, Kanna Lakshminarayana, M Maheedhar Reddy, D Sreedhar Babu, Kasu Krishna Reddy, Chief Secretary Dr P.K.Mohanty, Commissioner, Disaster Management, Dr.T.Radha, Principal Secretary, Finance, D Sambasiva Rao, Principal Secretary, Marketing, Sreenivasulu, Principal Secretary, Irrigation, Aravind Reddy, Principal Secretary, Revenue, B R Meena, Principal Secretary, R&B, Sam Bob, Commissioner, Agriculture, Madhusudan Rao, Commissioner, Civil Supplies, Sunil Sharma, FCI, NaFed, MarkFed representatives and other officials.

Kiran Kumar Reddy said he already took up the issue of purchase of damaged cotton by the Cotton Corporation of India with the Union Minister for Textiles Mr Kavuri Sambasiva Rao who assured him to speed up the issue. He asked the Chief Secretary to hold another video conference with the District Collectors for speedy enumeration of the damages and losses so that the report could be sent to the Government of India. He said Government of India (through FCI, Nafed and Markfed) will be approached for relaxation regarding the purchase of discoloured and damaged paddy, cotton, soyabean and Maize etc. He also wanted the Markfed to purchase Bengalgram available with the farmers.

The Chief Minister also asked the Chief Secretary to find out from the distilleries and poultry sector about procurement of discoloured and germinated maize. He also wanted top priority to be given for restoration of minor irrigation tanks. He said he received major complaints in this connection and asked the Principal Secretary to convene a separate meeting to discuss the issue. He asked the Agriculture Department to be ready with alternative seeds and other needs of the farmers in the inundated areas. Officials informed that the death toll has gone up to 53 with another six persons reported missing in the current torrential rains and floods. As per the latest reports reaching here crops are affected in 11.42 lakh hectares and 2,000 cattle were also lost and 7,000 kms of roads were damaged. INN