Denial of Central aid unjust: Mani

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 9. The Revenue Minister, Mr. K. M. Mani, has denied the charge that the State Government was responsible for Kerala missing out on Central relief for natural calamities.

In a statement here today, he said there was no substance in the charge that Kerala had failed to submit to the Centre the accounts relating to the State's own Relief Fund and that this was why the Centre had denied further assistance to the State.

Mr. Mani said the State's liabilities towards expenses already incurred for relief operations were much more than the amount now available in its Relief Fund. It was impossible to address the relief requirements with a meagre sum of Rs. 52 crores which the State was receiving annually as its entitlement under the recommendations of the Tenth Finance Commission for meeting the losses due to natural calamities. Kerala's demand was for an additional assistance of Rs. 552 crores from the Central Relief Fund, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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