No politics over flood relief in Rajasthan: Jaiswal

Jaipur, Aug 26 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal today said there should be no politics over providing compensation to the flood-affected in Rajasthan.

Promising ''adequate aid'' from the Centre in a press meet here, he said the Centre cannot comment on the state government's disaster management and relief work until another week.

''We should not indulge in politics over compensation. One cannot comment on the state's relief work in just three days.

We can assess it only after a week and then can talk about its efficiency,'' Mr Jaiswal said.

The most important need of the hour was to provide relief to the flood victims as the death toll may rise to 300, he added.

The Minister said that the state government should immediately release Rs 10 crore each to the 11 worst-affected districts of the state, instead of just Rs 1 or 2 crore as it won't be enough for relief work.

He also expressed concern over the outbreak of an epidemic in the flood-hit areas and said as the inhabitants of this desert regions are not accustomed to such rain-related diseases, they may easily fall prey to them and the state government should prepare contingency plans to prevent such epidemics.

He said the Centre had given Rs 262 crore in June to the state towards the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) and it should be used for providing interim relief to the flood-affected.

The Centre is giving adequate aid and the state government should utilise the Rs 700 crore already lying as part of state's share in the NCCF, the Minister said.

He, however, asked the state government to send the utilisation certificate to the Finance Department.

Meanwhile, the Vasundhara Raje government had asked for Rs 1300 crore to rehabilitate the flood-affected people.

There has been extensive damage to crops, properties, roads and hutments. The death toll, according to the state government, has gone up to 85.

Mr Jaiswal confirmed that the Centre will not turn away in providing relief and asked the state government to send an estimate of losses suffered.

The minister had toured the flood-affected districts of Barmer, Udaipur, Banswara and Jodhpur yesterday.

Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment Namo Narain Meena and state Congress chief B D Kalla were also present at the meet.

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