Financial aid announced by Centre disappointing as far magnitude of Kerala crisis concerned, writes former CM Oommen Chandy to PM Narendra Modi

Hitting out at the Centre, Congress party on Wednesday termed the financial assistance by the government in wake of the Kerala floods as "quite disappointing" given the magnitude of the crisis faced by the state. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former chief minister Oommen Chandy wrote that the flood-devastated state is expecting "reasonable monetary help" to support the people get back to normal life.

PM Modi, who had visited the coastal state to take stock of the situation, announced a relief of Rs 500 crore to aid relief and rescue operations. This was in addition to the Rs 100 crore aid announced by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh last week.

"Unfortunately, I am sorry to say that the financial assistance announced by the Government of India is quite disappointing as far the magnitude of the crisis is concerned"- Former CM Ommen Chandy in a letter to PM Modi #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/J9fmfe0XWn — ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2018

The Centre has also declared the floods in Kerala as a “calamity of severe nature” but Chandy asked that it should be declared as "national calamity" to ensure better reconstruction and rehabilitation processes to the people. "Keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods and landslides in Kerala, this is a calamity of a severe nature for all practical purposes," a Home Ministry official had said in New Delhi.

Taking a veiled jibe at the Centre's decision to not accept the financial assistance from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Chandy said that this decision is disappointing to the people of Kerala. He further said if there are any obstacles against the acceptance of foreign aid such rules should be modified.

The UAE has offered $ 100 million (around Rs 700 crore) as financial assistance for flood relief operation in Kerala. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, had called up PM Modi and made the offer for assistance, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said in Thiruvananthapuram.

However, the government is unlikely to accept any foreign financial assistance for flood relief operations in Kerala, official sources had said. They said the government has taken a considered decision to rely solely on domestic efforts to tide over the situation.

The government of Maldives has also decided to donate USD 50,000 (Rs 35 lakh) for flood-affected people in Kerala. It is understood that the UN is also offering some assistance for Kerala. However, sources said India is unlikely to accept the assistance.

The floods in Kerala, the worst in a century, have claimed lives of 231 people besides rendering over 14 lakh people homeless.