Andhra seeks Rs 2,250-crore central assistance for flood relief

Naveen S Garewal 

Tribune News Service 

Hyderabad, October 18

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy (YSR) has asked the Centre for an aid of Rs 2,250 crore to deal with the damage and destruction caused by the unprecedented rains and flash floods.  

In a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, YSR has said the preliminary reports have estimated the losses at around Rs 4,450 crore, but the details were still being worked out.  He asked the Centre to immediately advance Rs 2,250 crore so that the repair and restoration work can be started.  

Andhra Pradesh has been lashed with heavy rains from October 9 to 13 and is being threatened with rain due to low cyclonic pressure again. This has resulted in loss of human and animal life and caused flooding. 

Meanwhile, the AP Government has said it will not allow weather conditions come in its way of implementing its election promises. As a result, the Andhra Pradesh Government today announced appointments of chairpersons for 56 corporations, set up for the development of backward classes.  

The state has reserved 50 per cent posts for women as a result in AP 29 corporations will be headed by women chairpersons.  

Minister for Backward Class Welfare, Ch Venugopala Krishna said: “The Chief Minister firmly believes that BCs are backbone classes and not backward classes. As promised during elections to provide separate corporations for every community to give equal political prominence, the Chief Minister has stood by it and brought it into reality.”