Kerala floods: Contribution to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund reaches Rs 1027 crore

Thiruvananthapuram: Following the devastating floods that hit Kerala, the entire nation is trying to pull out the southern state from the distress. As Kerala looks up to rebuild itself, the contribution to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Fund reached Rs 1027 crore on Friday.

The Kerala assembly on Thursday adopted a unanimous resolution seeking more funds from the Centre to rebuild the state battered by torrential rains which claimed 483 lives since the onset of the southwest monsoon on May 28.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister of almost all states have been offering funds to Kerala so that it can combat the devastation. The rains had affected over 55 lakh people and left a trail of destruction.

With life limping to normalcy, cleaning operations continued in several parts of the state, including worst-hit Kuttanad and Wayanad. More than 60,000 volunteers are engaged in the operations.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been demanding to the Centre to declare Kerala floods a national calamity. The Centre, instead, announced the floods a severe calamity.

The House, convened specially to discuss the large-scale destruction, asked the Centre to take a "favourable stand" to make use of the financial and technical support extended by foreign countries and global agencies in rebuilding the state.

Earlier, initiating the debate, Vijayan said the government would explore the possibility of legal options to avail the funds offered to the state, including that from abroad.

His statement assumes significance in the wake of a row over Centre's refusal to accept the United Arab Emirates' reported offer of Rs 700 crore to the rain-ravaged state.

(With inputs from agencies)