Date:26/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/26/stories/2005092619430100.htm

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YSR, TDP president visit flood-hit areas

Special Correspondent

Hefty increase in compensation to ryots under study: Chief Minister

HYDERABAD: A day ahead of the Central team's visit to the State, the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy toured flood- hit areas of the East and West Godavari districts on Sunday and said he would write to the Centre seeking crop insurance with village as the unit.

After a visit to Duvva in West Godavari district, Dr. Reddy said the present crop insurance scheme with mandal as the unit was hardly beneficial to farmers.

Later speaking to presspersons at the Gannavaram airport, he said the Government would seriously consider increasing the compensation to flood-hit farmers by 25 per cent. But people's representatives from the two Godavari districts, Krishna and Guntur wanted it increased by 50 per cent.

Master plan

At a review meeting at Rajahmundry, he asked officials of East, West Godavari, Khammam and other flood-affected districts to prepare a master plan to tackle the flood situation.

He spoke to the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil and the Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, in this regard.

TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu also undertook a tour of Khammam district. Interacting with victims, he blamed the Government for not taking enough steps to mitigate their suffering. APCC president K. Keshava Rao visited flood-affected areas in Khammam town and Yellandu.

Sonia coming

AICC president Sonia Gandhi will visit flood-hit areas in West Godavari and Krishna district on Tuesday. An eight-member Central team of senior officials will arrive in the city on Monday to tour the flood-affected districts. The team is led by the Joint Secretary (Home Affairs), Navin Verma.

The Commissioner, Disaster Management, Shashank Goel, told The Hindu on that the team would begin its tour on September 27.

On its return to the city, the team would hold a review meeting with State Government officials. The Government had already sought Central assistance to the tune of Rs. 1,200 crores.

The State Government had estimated the total damage to crops and property at Rs. 1,800 crores.

"We are also requesting the Centre to supply 12.74 lakh tonnes of rice for wage employment scheme," Mr. Goel added. The team would return to New Delhi on September 29.