Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar will lead a central team to Andhra Pradesh tomorrow to make an on-the-spot assessment of the damage wrought by unprecedented rainfall and floods in the state, the Lok Sabha was informed today. Responding to demand by Telugu Desam members for immediate adhoc release of Rs.200 crores central relief to those affected, Kumar said that his ministry was in constant touch with the Andhra Pradesh government and said that Centre would take all possible steps in this regard. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, TDP leader K Yerran Naidu said that the floods had left 116 dead and a trail of destruction of property and crop besides disrupting vehicular and rail traffic.

He said that most parts of Hyderabad city had been inundated and over one lakh people evacuated to safer places with the assistance of the Army and the Air Force. Supporting Naidu, Somnath Chatterjee (CPM) Janardhan Reddy and Renuka Chowdhury (both Congress) said that immediate Central relief should be despatched to the state. Reddy was critical of the Eleventh Finance Commission removing the provision of central relief fund for natural calamities. Bureau Report