Kerala losses crossed the state’s annual plan budget of Rs. 29,150 crores says Pinarayi Vijayan, CM Kerala

The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan revealed that the loss suffered by Kerala in the recent deluges was so extensive, colossal and uncontrollable that it has crossed the limits of the State’s Annual Plan of Rs. 29, 150 crores.

He assured the suffering people and country men that Kerala will soon stand on its feet by confronting the challenges and rebuilding Kerala. We have to rehabilitate people, Houses should be re built at comparatively in the safer locations considering in mind the ecological issues said Vijayan.

He added that the slogan given by them is: rebuild new Kerala while carrying out the entire re contruction and rehabilitation of the completely devastated state.

The chief minister Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan was responding to the questions of STANLEY JOHNY of Hindu in the papers Wednesday Interview coloumn.

The chief minister said Kerala will soon rise out of this impasse as we will build a new and better Kerala for which the international agencies like UN, the World Bank, the Indian government, individuals, state employees, various states and the social organisations are coming forward to wholeheartedly help us in this hour of critical juncture.

Responding without referring to the financial aid of Rs. 700 from the Arab countries to which the Indian government has rejected to accept, Kerala chief minister Vijayan said that the union government should not say ‘no” when such offers come, as according to the national disaster management plan brought out by the union government in 2016 voluntary assistence from other countries can be duly accepted.

Feeling somewhat satisfied from the incessantly coming economic aid from various sources CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that the the chief minister’s Distress Relief Fund has already crossed Rs. 1, 000 crores and the help still keeps coming on from various sources for the distressed families of the Kerala victims.

On a question of the central government’s meagre amount of Rs 600 crore as financial aid, as compared with a collossal loss of several thousand crores in the state due to the massive deluge, CM Vijayan lauded the union government’s efforts as good and said that the central government’s assistence dose’nt come in a one go but in phases.

What the centre has announced therefore is only an advance assistence of Rs. 600 crore and it’s a good amount. He said when the Home minister visited the deluge affected areas he announced Rs. 100 crores followed by the prime minister’s visit and subsequent anouncement of Rs 500 crores which shows how supportive the union government is towards Kerala’s deluge victims. He added that the state expects more aid from the centre after the complete assesment of the losses in the due course.

The chief minister was also enthusiastic about the financial aid from foreign institutions and said that the state government got excited responses from the World Bank team that visited Kerala recently.

On the questions regarding accusations of the Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala that mismanagement of Dams lead to the harrowing deluge, CM Pinnarayi Vijayan termed the allegations as baseless and being completely wrong.

He added that the state government did not acknowledged any intimation from the meteorological department that there would be extreme precipitation in Kerala in August. The state got extreme rains within a short span of time resulting in sharp and massive rise in the water levels. The dams were opened after issuing all the necessary alerts.

Therefore it’s not the dam waters that cause the horrific deluges but the excessive and uncontrollable water accumulation due to massive rains in rivers like Achankovil, Manimala and Chaliyar that flooded Pandalam, Thiruvalla and Nilaambur areas etc of Kerala.

Lauding himself and his state government, Vijayan said that KERALA has set an example for the whole world on how to deal with natural disasters effectively.

While appreciating the people of Kerala and all those who supported the noble cause through their outstanding financial and other kind of help and contribution, including the union government’s support Vijayan said the unity, timely help from the central forces to the fisherfolk of the state, Kerala was finally able to reduce the magnitude of the calamity.