Centre offers assistance to flood affected J

New Delhi, Sep 4 (UNI) The Centre today reviewed the flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan and assured all possible assistance including financial and logistic support, to the affected states.

At a high level meeting in the Home Ministry, which is the nodal agency dealing with the natural calamities, the army representative informed that army columns and Enginerring Task Force are stationed in Avantipur and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir from where they could be deployed immediately on requisition.

Border Road Organisation personnel are clearing the landslides.

They have already cleared 16 of the total 50 landslides reported in the state. This was informed at the meeting chaired by Secretary Border Management B M Lalli.

Financial assistance to the tune of Rs 89 crore has been offered to the Jammu and Kashmir government from the Calamity Relief Fund.

Of this amount the first installment of Rs 33.36 crore could be given to the state immediately their submitting the utilisation certificate of the earlier given amount.

Meanwhile, a central team is visiting Rajasthan to assess the damage caused due to floods in the state and relief and rehabilitation. The Centre has earmarked Rs 350 crore to Rajasthan for flood relief. It has assured that more funds could be given to the state on the Central team's recommendations on the basis of their assessment.

The army has deputed an engineering team to the state to inquire into the possibility of harvesting the flood water to meet the future needs of the desert state.

About 19 army columns, 32 engineeing task forces working along with three naval diving teams have evacuated 3612 people from the flood affected region of the state. They have also released 12000 food packets for the affected population. Two Indian Airforce helicopters have also been deployed in the state.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has sent a team of 50 doctors and para-medical staff to Jaipur to assist the state government personnel be prevent the out break of any epidemic. It has also sent life saving drugs like Chloroquine tablets and ORS.

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