Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan seeks 2,250 crore Central aid to cover flood damage

Amaravati: In a letter to Union Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appealed to the Central government to send a team to assess the damages caused due to the recent cyclone and the floods that followed resulting in damage to crops, roads, irrigation system and power supply across Andhra Pradesh. He also urged the Centre to sanction Rs 2,250 crore as immediate relief.

Narrating the woes, Jagan said that the heavy rains lashed the State from October 9 to 13. The two Godavari districts received maximum rain. Moreover, the heavy rains in Maharashtra and Telangana added fury to the flood. He recalled that the heavy rains damaged the State in August and September too.

Almost all the roads were severely damaged and irrigation tanks and canals were breached at several places. The rains have also adversely affected the power generation. The transport system came to a standstill due to the overflowing of rivulets and tanks at various places.

Paddy, cotton, maize, sugarcane farmers suffered heavy losses. Likewise, the horticulture crops like banana, papaya, and vegetables were damaged.

In spite of the hard work put in by the NDRF teams in the flood-relief operations, 14 persons died. As per the preliminary estimates of various departments, the loss was put at Rs 4,450 crore. Hence, it is high time that the Central government stepped in to help the State to cope with the loss caused due to floods. In the first tranche, the State needs at least Rs 1,000 crore to undertake relief operations to bring normalcy in the State. He recalled that the State was already devastated by the havoc caused by corona virus and now the floods caused more damage to the economy.