The losses incurred by the major sector in Kerala has been pegged at Rs 25,050 crore through the Rapid Disaster Need Assessment conducted by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media on Wednesday.
“As per the assessment, the loss occurred in the housing sector is Rs 2,534 crore, public institutions is Rs 191 crore, the loss incurred by infrastructure facilities in urban areas is Rs 2,093 crores while the same for rural areas is Rs 5,216 crore. The total loss of Rs 25,050 crore was reached after calculating the losses incurred in other sectors as well,” the CM said in a press conference.
“The actual loss in the industries and trade have not been calculated by the ADB and the World Bank. A primary discussion has been done with the representatives of the World regarding a loan,” the CM said, reiterating that his aim is to build a new Kerala and not simply rehabilitate it.
“A large number of people will have to be rehabilitated from the land that they lived on and lost. The price of land for such people will come up to Rs 400 crores. While considering all these, it is clear that the loss caused by the flood in the state could be much higher than what has been calculated by the World Bank and the AD,” the Chief Minister added.
The state government is conducting an elaborate study and has decided to submit a memorandum to the Centre seeking a special package for the rehabilitation process.
The government is now preparing for reconstruction with the cooperation and support of people of all sections and the major challenge at this phase is fund mobilization. The CM stated that Kerala ministers will visit foreign countries to seek aid from non-resident Keralites. “They have already contributed in a big way to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. The ministers will visit the countries between October 17 and 21. In total, they will visit 17 countries including Gulf and foreign countries,” the CM said.
Receiving aid from foreign countries
Regarding receiving fund from foreign countries, the Kerala CM said that the Centre has not changed its stand. “I spoke to the Prime Minister recently. We have to wait and watch to see if the government will change its stand,” CM Pinarayi said.
Technical assistance from the Netherlands
For the reconstruction of Kuttanad, which is located below the mean sea level, the government has sought technical assistance from the Netherlands, which has been sanctioned. The expertise of the Netherlands in this field is accepted worldwide,” the CM told the media.
Propaganda against assisting the state
The chief minister also claimed that there is a ‘certain propaganda’ being spread that the state of Kerala does not need any assistance. “We cannot understand where it originated from,” the CM said.