Hyderabad: Union home minister Amit Shah has announced that an inter-ministerial team from the Centre would soon visit Telangana to assess the damage due to the recent floods.
A delegation from Telangana, led by deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, met Shah at his official residence in New Delhi on Thursday, September 4, urging the Centre to extend immediate assistance in view of the heavy rains and floods that caused loss to crops, property, and human lives in Telangana.
The ministers explained that between August 25 and 28, unprecedented rainfall occurred across Telangana, with severe floods in Kamareddy, Medak, Nirmal, and Nizamabad districts, leading to large-scale devastation and damage to public infrastructure, private property, crops, livestock and human lives.
According to preliminary estimates, 22 people have lost their lives so far. Loss of livestock, crop damage, and house damage were still being assessed.
Preliminary estimates of damages to infrastructure:
1. Roads (R&B) – Rs 785.59 crore
2. Energy Department (Power) – Rs 40.73 crore
3. Crop Loss – Rs 236 crore
4. Irrigation – Rs 655.70 crore
5. Panchayat Raj & Rural Development – Rs 377.43 crore
6. Medical & Health – Rs 14.84 crore
7. Animal Husbandry – 10 crore
8. Municipal Administration – Rs 1,025 crore
9. Immediate requirement for emergency repairs – Rs 1,500 crore
10. Other departments/government properties – Rs 300 crore
11. Housing Department – Rs 25 crore
12. Women Development & Child Welfare – Rs 23.43 crore
Total (Preliminary Estimates): Rs 5,018.72 crore
(Note: These are preliminary figures. Final estimates may rise after the floods completely recede and a full assessment is made).
They informed that the rainfall recorded so far in the monsoon season has been 25 percent above normal, with eight districts recording excess rainfall ranging between 65 and 95 percent.
State govt mobilised all available resources: Ministers to Amit Shah
They told Amit Shah that the state government has mobilised all available resources to carry out the flood relief measures, and that 7 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, 15 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, and around 100 Indian army personnel were actively engaged in rescue and relief operations.
The delegation submitted that the intensity of the rains severely damaged the roads, railway tracks, culverts, electric poles, transformers, and other infrastructure, disrupting normal life across the state.
The delegation appealed to the Union home minister to declare the recent floods in Telangana as a national disaster.
The ministers also reminded that last year, due to heavy rains in Khammam and surrounding districts, the state government had sought Rs 11,713 crore in assistance.
However, due to no special funds being released so far, except for routine allocations, the rehabilitation works. Hence, they urged that the previously requested Rs 11,713 crore in assistance, along with the present requirement of Rs 5,018 crore- a total of Rs 16,732 crore- be released immediately.
Earlier during the day, Bhatti Vikramarka met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss the Goods and Services Taxes (GST) reforms and their impact on the state, restructuring of interest on loans secured by the Telangana government, special assistance for the construction of Young India Integrated Schools, reduction of tax on oil palms, and the disbursement of flood relief.
Speaking with the media after meeting the Union ministers, Telangana agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said that, except for the State Disaster Relief Funds (SDRF) that are regularly given to the state, no new funds have been given to the state by the Centre.
He pointed out that this was the first time that parts of the state had received 50 cm rof ainfall on a single day, which has not happened in over 100 years. He sought funds from the Centre under special grants, just like other BJP-ruled states like Gujarat were receiving.
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