In another move to raise funds for the post-floods reconstruction in Kerala, the state government is all set to mobilise funds from Keralites across the globe.
The aim of the government is to raise funds from both within and outside the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at a press conference on Friday.
"The Assembly session convened on Thursday decided to work unitedly keeping aside political differences. The common feeling that has come out of the session is that our state should be rebuilt in a better way," the CM said.
The government plans to raise funds from UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and UK.
Ministers and officials will be designated for this. Fund-raising will be done also from the major cities of India. Scores of people have expressed interest in handing over donations directly to the Chief Minister's office. For those who want to make direct donations, state-wide fund collection programmes will be held and ministers will be in charge of this.
“Ministers will visit districts for this purpose. A meeting will be held on September 3 for planning this. District collectors concerned will be in charge of organising the programmes while the state-level coordination will be done by officers of additional chief secretary rank,” the CM further said.
“A foreign firm KPMP has agreed to be consultant partner for the state’s reconstruction. They have been chosen as the consultant partner as they offered free consultancy service," Pinarayi said.
"Children are donating their tiny savings to the relief fund. Considering this, a fund collection will be conducted at all the educational institutions in the state, including CBSE schools, on September 11. "Till August 30, Rs 1,026 crore has been received in the distress relief fund. 4.17 lakh people have donated online. This is highly exemplary,” the CM said.
Steps have been initiated to provide bank loans up to Rs 10 lakh for small scale traders who suffered loss in the floods. Sabarimala pilgrimage is expected to resume in the next two months.
"A new committee has been formed under the Chief Secretary for making arrangements at Pampa and Sabarimala on a war-footing," the CM said. DGP Loknath Behera will be part of the committee.