Cyclone: Naidu writes to PM on Central aid

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, OCT. 24. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has urged the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, to extend assistance to the State Government for relief and rehabilitation in the cyclone-ravaged districts.

In a letter today he explained that the heavy rain that occurred in Nellore and Rayalaseema districts recently and the consequent floods in the Pennar had caused heavy loss to life and property.

Apart from 80,000 houses and crops over 1.25 lakh hectares being badly damaged, 153 persons were killed and 21 missing. The total damage was put at Rs.924.71 crores.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said the Minister for Revenue, Mr. P. Ashok Gajapati Raju, and senior officials met the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr. Ajit Singh, on Tuesday and submitted a report detailing the damage.

Mr. Naidu sought sanction of Rs.278.26 crores for taking up immediate restoration and rehabilitation works in the affected areas.

He requested for sanction of permanent rural housing for 25,000 families under the Indira Awas Yojana and urban housing for another 10,000 families, according to a press release from the CMO.

Study team may come

A Central team is likely to come to the State in two or three days to assess the damage caused to public utilities and crops by the heavy rain and then recommend Central assistance, if any, to the State Government.

The Government is optimistic about getting Central assistance. Earlier, the Union Government sanctioned 6 lakh tonnes of rice worth Rs.700 crores to fight drought prevailing in the 912 mandals.

The Principal Secretary for Revenue, Mr. A. V. S. Reddy, who was on the team, told The Hindu on his return from New Delhi, that they had emphasised taking up of housing in good measure in the rain- ravaged areas, both urban and rural.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Next     : Cong. leader's body found near railway crossing