Centre to provide higher assistance to flood-hit AP

Vijayawada, Nov 7 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today said the Centre would provide higher assistance to the flood-affected districts in Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference here, after visiting the flood-hit areas in Krishna district, affected by 'Ogni' and making an aerial survey of Guntur district, Mr Patil said a high-power expert committee would visit the state on November 9 for assessing the damage.

After the Committee submits a report to the Centre , the Centre would decide the quantum of assistance to be provided, he said.

Mr Patil admitted that he could visit only seven to eight affected places in this district to have first hand information of the damage along with Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy.

He said the damage to crops was heavy and a lot of agricultural crops were damaged in the villages, and many people had lost their houses. Andhra Pradesh was the worst-hit with calamities like Tsunami and heavy rains.

He said a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has to be set up in Andhra Pradesh on the lines of the Centre to prevent losses due to floods.

Mr Patil said he was not making any announcement on the assistance now as the government may construct that the Centre has granted only meagre amount. However, there was a necessity to provide substantial amount of money for rehabilitation and the Centre would look into all these aspects.

The Chief Minister had brought to his attention last time that canal system should be rennovated to control floods and in this connection there was a need for setting up the NDMA.

He assured the state government of the Centre's help to renovate the drainage system, for which a proper plan has to be made.

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