New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, 1 October (IANS) was killed by Wayanad, a year after the disastrous landslide, the Center on Wednesday approved its first dedicated financial assistance to the reconstruction of the district.
A high-level committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved Rs 260.56 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as Kerala’s demand of Rs 2,221 crore.
The allotment of the declared allocation is for reconstruction of the destroyed areas in Mundakaka and Churlomla by the July 2023 landslide.
July 30, 2024, disaster reduced four villages, injured hundreds of people, more than 200 people lost their lives, and 32 people are still missing.
The approval comes after 14 months of arguments from the state government and elected representatives.
The Center’s aid, however, is sought through the assessment (PDNA) of post -disaster only after 11 percent of funds.
The committee approved a total of Rs 4,645.60 crore for nine states.
Comparison has already criticized, as the BJP -ruled Assam, which experienced landslides in 2022, received a huge package of Rs 1,270.78 crore.
Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were earlier given Rs 1,658.17 crore and Rs 2,006.40 crore respectively.
Kerala was first sanctioned an additional Rs 529.50 crore as a loan for disaster relief operation and Rs 153 crore in July this year.
However, state leaders have long been pressurized for a special package for rehabilitation of Wayanad.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a delegation of UDF MPs led by Wind MP Priyanka Gandhi met Amit Shah to increase the demand.
Despite such interventions, no major announcement was yet upcoming.
Both the ruling leftist and the opposition Congress have accused the plight of the disaster, which despite the Prime Minister going to the area after the disaster.
With the current approval, the state government is expected to start the next phase of reconstruction works, although the demand for a large package to fully restore Wayanad remains strong.
Incidentally, in March this year, on behalf of the State Government’s Wayanad Rehabilitation Program, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan laid the foundation stone for the project, which aims to provide a house of 1,000 square feet on seven cents to 402 select beneficiaries from each.
During his speech, CM Vijayan criticized the Central Government for failing to provide adequate disaster relief, as the state did not get any central assistance and did not have only loans that the state should repay.
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