No proposal sent to centre about rehabilitation; Modhwadia

Gandhinagar, Sep 28 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Gujarat assembly Arjun Modhwadia today lambasted the state government for failing to send proposals to the Union government regarding the rehabilitation of the flood affected people in Surat.

In a release issued here, Mr Modhwadia alleged that the state government has not moved a single proposal to the Union ministries like urban poverty elimination, commerce, agriculture and rural development except the one sent to the National Disaster Management Department.

He further informed that the Prime Minister had instructed all ministries of the Union Government to allot funds under several schemes of their departments. ''All such assistance can be released only after the proposals are moved by the State Government. However, no such proposal has to the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) after the devastating floods,''he pointed out.

Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy had asked the state government to immediately move the proposals so as to access the aid faster. However, whatever proposals moved by the state government for Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara and Surat, the relief asked for the worst affected Surat is just 50 per cent, Mr Modhwadia alleged.

Giving details, he said the state government in its memorandum to the Union Rural Development ministry while requesting for funds under the National Calamity Fund (CRF), National Disaster Management Division and the National Calamity Contingency fund, had stated that the state government will have to bear additional burden of Rs 1,504 crores towards maintenance and repairing of the state property.

Presently the Government has, at its disposal Rs 1100 crores including an additional assistance of Rs 500 crores announced by the Prime Minister, he said and added,''The State Government has not yet utilized even 25 per cent of this fund.''

Union Urban Poverty Elimination Minister Kumari Shelja has announced Rs 1000 crores loan by HUDCO for flood affected areas at a subsidised interest of 8.75% against the normal rate of 10.25%. ''The state government should take advantage of such schemes so as to construct 50,000 residential units for diamond workers, labourers and other persons from middle and poorer sections of society as no proposal has been forwarded by the state to the Union Government for building houses for the middle class and the poor and repairing the damage caused to infrastructure in Surat after the recent floods,''he said.

Union Minister of State for Transport and Roads Muniappaji has also announced adequate assistance for the National Highways and has instructed the state government to immediately submit the Project Report of 375 km long Ahmedabad to Dandi Heritage Road as announced by the Prime Minister, he informed.

''It is not too late for the government to make effective representation before several departments of the Union Government for allocation of funds under the National Calamity Fund (NCF) and National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF),'' Mr Modhwadia suggested.

He flayed Chief Minister Narendra Modi for commandeering the entire state administrative machinery to oversee Vibrant Navratri Utsav festivities and bringing in the foreign troupes costing the state exchequer a whopping Rs 12 crores which is in sharp contrast to the meagre amount of Rs 10 crores doled out to the flood ravaged people so far, he alleged.

UNI