Congress demands Rs 3,000 Cr aid for Cyclone-hit states

In a statement released by Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, he said the amount given to the states is "grossly insufficient" and the Prime Minister must rise above political difference and show magnanimity in cyclone relief by providing financial aid of Rs. 3,000 crore to the affected states.

New Delhi: Congress party, on Friday, demanded financial assistance of Rs 3,000 crore for the states which have been recently hit by Cyclone Yaas, including Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand, saying that the Prime Minister should rise above political difference.

This comes on the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Odisha and West Bengal to review the situation that arose out of Cyclone Yaas. He announced financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for immediate relief activities under which Rs 500 crore would be immediately given to Odisha. Another Rs 500 crore aid has been announced for West Bengal and Jharkhand, which will be released based on the damage.

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Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "We, in the Congress party, believe that every household ravaged by the cyclone requires special financial assistance and considering the impact of the cyclone, Rs. 1,000 crores (Rs. 500 crores for Orissa and Rs. 500 crores between West Bengal and Jharkhand) is grossly insufficient to meet the needs of lakhs rendered homeless, medically affected and without a livelihood. It can hardly restore normalcy and wipe the tears of the people."

Surjewala asserted, "We urge upon, PM, Shri Narendra Modi to show magnanimity by rising above political differences and give a financial package of at least 3,000 crores (to be proportionately distributed amongst the three States as per the scale of damage), on the lines of the cyclone relief package announced by him on May 19, 2021, in Gujarat which was similarly affected by Cyclone."

He also mentioned that Indian National Congress, its President, and every Party worker stands in solidarity with the people of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand in these times of widespread destruction caused by Cyclone 'Yaas' as the Pradesh Congress Committees, Frontal Organizations, leaders, workers and volunteers have been instructed to undertake intensive relief work with all possible help to assist those stuck in this tragic disaster.

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"Coming at a time when the people were already reeling under severe distress caused by the ravaging second wave of COVID, the cyclone has caused immense hardship to ordinary people, especially the farmers, poor and the marginalised," the Congress leader asserted.

After PM's visit to the Cyclone affected states, it was being announced that the Union Government will deploy an Inter-Ministerial Team to visit the states to assess the extent of damage, based on which further assistance will be given.

An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the seriously injured in the cyclone has also been announced by the Union Government.

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