State govt sanctions ₹200 cr. for immediate relief and restoration works in rain affected districts  

The State government has released ₹200 crore as immediate assistance to the districts severely affected by the recent heavy rains.

Of the total amount, ₹10 crore has been allocated to Kamareddy, Medak, Nirmal, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Kumram Bheem Asifabad and Rajanna Sircilla districts each of which bore the brunt of the heavy rainfall. The remaining 26 districts have been sanctioned ₹5 crore each for taking up relief and restoration works.

The budget release order follows Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s review of the situation in districts affected by heavy rains on Monday. The heavy rains between August 25 and 28 caused large-scale devastation in several parts of the State especially the seven districts. Kamareddy district for instance, received 50 cm of rain in two days which was the highest ever recorded while the adjacent districts received rainfall ranging from 25 cm to 40 cm.

As a result, there had been not only instances of instant flooding but also widespread damage to private and public property, crop loss, loss of human lives as well as cattle lives throughout the State. Accordingly, the government directed the district collectors to take up immediate repairs to roads, culverts/bridges and restoration of electricity supply in the affected areas.

The district administration had been directed to take up work at the rate permitted under the SDRF norms. The works should be of the nature of making roads traffic worthy and related ones. They could include small road repairs wherever breached or scoured, repairing culverts/small bridges/low-level causeways so that the stretches become roadworthy. Works relating to restoration of drinking water supply, power supply and others could be taken up in accordance with SDRF permissibility norms and criteria.

No new works should be taken up and the amount should not be used to compensate agricultural losses or ex-gratia as the government would release funds for them under separate heads once renumeration was completed.