Centre must reassess flood damage: Modi

Ahmedabad, Sep 2 (UNI) Gujrat Chief Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his demand for a comprehensive special package to the 9-member Central team that completed its three-day tour of the flood-affected state.

The team, headed by additional Home secretary B A Coutinho, held a meeting with Mr Modi before leaving for Delhi.

Mr Modi urged for a special economic package for Gujarat, and for Surat in particular, and said the relief granted to the State from the Prime Minister National Calamity Relief Fund (NCCF) did not reflect accurately the real damage from floods and needs to be reassessed, according to an official statement.

To help the business and trade in Gujarat recover from the ravages of flood and regain its original vibrancy, the Centre must implement the special package at least a week before Diwali, he said.

Floods have played havoc in Surat and its losses need to be re-evaluated. He pointed out that Surat alone earns Rs 48,000 crore for the country in terms of foreign exchange while it pays Rs 4,800 crores in taxes. Surat also contributes 30 per cent of revenues earned by the state. Moreover, lakhs of people from six states are working in Surat to eke out a living, Mr Modi pointed out.

Mr Modi told the Central team that in future a special fund should be allocated within the central package for those displaced from the low-lying areas. Rains this year were unusually severe, not experienced in the past 50 years, he said.

This unusual rain is part of rapidly changing weather pattern and he urged the Centre to commission a study about the changing weather pattern in Gujarat. Earlier the monsoon direction were from the Arabian Sea while today it us from the Bay of Bengal, Mr Modi said.

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