CM Vijayan lashes out at Centre for ‘denying’ funds to flood-hit Kerala

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday, November 23, lashed out at the Centre for allegedly showing indifference in granting aid for the rebuilding initiatives of the state, which had suffered the deadliest flood of the century in August.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the state had only received ₹600 crore as central assistance so far from the BJP-led NDA government.

"However, we might have to give back ₹265.75 crore from the ₹600 crore to the centre if it seeks the Minimum Support Price for the rice and kerosene ration given to us during the floods," the chief minister said.

"The whole world has been compassionate towards us, but the Centre is showing gross indifference in providing assistance to the flood-hit state," Vijayan added.

"So even if we assume that the Centre gives us all what we have asked for, there would still be a shortfall of ₹26,000 crore. We have sought ₹2,500 crore as loan from NABARD and also from World Bank and ADB. Yet another demand from us was to increase the various Centrally sponsored schemes by 10 per cent, but even after repeated requests, nothing has happened," said Vijayan.

He said agencies such as the World Bank and the UN have also made an assessment of the damage and it is put at ₹36,000 crore.

The chief minister said Kerala had not only been denied the central assistance it deserved, but also lost the foreign aid announced by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the 'intervention' of the union government.

A row had erupted in September last over the Centre's refusal to accept UAE's reported offer of Rs 700 crore to the flood-hit state. The Centre had said that India would not accept any assistance from foreign governments for Kerala in sync with an existing policy.

Vijayan also pointed out that state ministers were denied permission by the NDA government to visit foreign countries to mobilise funds for the rebuilding exercise.

With inputs from Agencies