PM assures all assistance to Kerala to meet flood situation

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced that Rs 50 crore will immediately be provided to Kerala as an advance from the National Calamity Relief Fund to tackle the serious flood situation in the state.

An assurance to this effect was made by Dr Singh to Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oomen Chandy and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala when they called on the Prime Minister this evening. The announcement assumes significance in the context of Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan threatening to undertake a fast in front of the Prime Minister's official residence to protest the ''negligence'' in providing the state funds to overcome the situation.

Mr Chandy told mediapersons that the Prime Minister had assured all help to the state in tackling the situation.

He alleged that the state government had not submitted the memorandum, for claiming its share from the National Calamity Relief Fund, in the ''proper format.'' He said that the stae government had committed the same lapse with regard to the formalities in claiming its due share from the Calamity Contigency Fund.

UNI