It seems Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is adamant to accept foreign financial aid for flood-hit Kerala. In a one-day special session of the state assembly convened by the CM, he said that the state government is seeking legal methods to utilize the financial assistance offered to the state from various quarters including abroad, reported PTI.
CM Vijayan said, “Promises of assistance have been pouring in from various parts of the world. The government is looking for ways to get the funds to the state through legal ways,” reported India TV.
His statement comes during the Centre’s outright refusal to accept the alleged Rs 700 crores offered by the UAE government to the flood-hit Kerala.
The CM informed that the economy of the state has been badly slugged and the loss could not be covered by the annual plan outlay which stands at Rs. 37,247.99 crore, reported PTI.
“The farming sector is destroyed; trading firms are devastated; the situation is not different for small-scale industries…It would be possible to ensure the livelihood for people if this crisis is addressed. We have survived the Nipah outbreak and Cyclone Ockhi, and the activities going on now will enable us to overcome this disaster as well”, CPI(M) leader and Kerala CM said.
CM Vijayan stated that besides the Rs 600 crore offered by the Central government, the state is expecting more financial aid from the BJP led NDA government for the worst disaster that has hit the state in a century. He added that the state’s confidence is boosted from the funds proposed by the foreign nations.
He informed, “The Chief Minister’s distress relief fund has received Rs. 730 crore till yesterday”. The state has also been receiving jewellery and land for the relief operations.
He added that the state is ready to accept funds from any quarters, only condition being that they are in the state’s interests.