Congress Asks KCR To Give Rs 5,000 Crore For Flood Relief

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday said that the state government should increase the amount being given for flood relief operations from Rs 500 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.

The TPCC Core Committee, which had met at Pragnapur in Gajwel constituency on Tuesday night, had held detailed discussions on various issues including the flood situation in Telangana, agriculture, and the Kalwakurthy lift irrigation scheme, Reddy said. The meeting was attended by AICC Telangana in-charge Manickam Tagore, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other senior leaders.

After having detailed discussions, the Core Committee passed several unanimous resolutions.

"A number of issues such as the huge misery to the people and the loss of life, property and agricultural crops, and the inadequate response of the state and the union governments were discussed. The Core Committee unanimously passed resolutions on various issues," Reddy said.

It was decided to write to the Prime Minister asking for the present situation in Telangana to be declared as a national calamity.

The Congress also condemned the "incompetent and inefficient" handling of the rains and flood situation in Hyderabad and other parts of the state by the TRS government, and termed the "negligent" attitude of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in not touring the flood-affected areas of Hyderabad or assessing personally the extensive crop damage in rural Telangana, as akin to Nero fiddling while Rome burnt.

The party also described as miserly the relief announced by the state government for the rain- and flood-affected people of the state. It demanded that the amount sanctioned by the state government for flood relief be increased from Rs 500 crores to Rs 5,000 crores; that the ex-gratia amounts for the families of the dead be increased to Rs 25 lakh; that the compensation for houses fully damaged in the floods be increased to Rs 5 lakh and that for partially damaged houses be increased to Rs 2 lakh.

It also said that wherever flood waters had entered the houses, a compensatory amount of Rs 50,000 per house should be given.

Reddy further said that the state government must immediately take up enumeration of the crop damage due to the rains / floods.

"Rs 20,000 per acre should be given immediately by the state government to all affected farmers including tenant farmers wherever extensive crop damage has occurred. And whatever crop is left after the damage due to the rain should be purchased by government agencies by relaxing quality norms," he demanded.

Reddy claimed that the Congress leaders and cadre had responded immediately to the flood situation, and that AICC Secretary Madhu Yashki Goud would oversee the relief measures on behalf of the party.