Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday announced an additional assistance of Rs 200 crore for flood-hit Andhra Pradesh from the National Calamity Fund.
This takes the total assistance from the central government to Andhra to Rs 400 cr.
Two days ago, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil announced an advance release of Rs 200 cr under the Calamity Relief Fund.
Dr Singh reviewed the relief, rescue, rehabilitation and restoration measures taken up by the government. Andhra Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was with him.
Dr Singh also announced an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 100,000 each from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to the families of those who died.
The prime minister also surveyed the flood-hit regions of Maharashtra.
The prime minister’s visit follows an aerial survey by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on August 9.
The loss to crops, houses and public infrastructure has been assessed at Rs 1,100 crore.
As many as 6,333 villages in 455 mandals have been affected and about 6.5 lakh persons have been evacuated to safer places and accommodated in 537 relief camps. About 80,000 houses were fully or partially damaged. Crops over an area of 2.12 lakh hectares were damaged, resulting in a loss of Rs 526 crore.
By Syed amin jafri
