AP seeks 1200-crore interim relief

New Delhi: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 1,200 crore as interim relief for the cyclone-hit north coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.

A team of officials, led by AP Commissioner (Relief) D Varaprasad, along with AP Bhavan Resident Commissioner Praveen Prakash, handed over the letter from the Chief Minister to the PMO officials here on Monday.

The letter listed in detail the damage done to the state by the cyclone Titli. Chief Minister's earlier representation given to the Union Home Minister seeking the interim relief 10 days ago was also attached with the letter.

The severe cyclonic storm hit Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts in the early hours of October 11 and devastated these districts and left huge damage to properties, agriculture and horticulture crops, houses and infrastructure resulting in deep distress and misery to the people.

The cost of the damaged properties, infrastructure and other related sectors has been tentatively worked out to be around Rs 2,800 crore (Electricity: Rs 500 cr, Roads & Buildings: Rs 100 cr, Panchayat Raj: Rs 100.00 cr, Agriculture: Rs 800 cr, Horticulture: Rs 1,000 cr, Animal Husbandry: Rs 50.00 cr, Fisheries: Rs 50.00 cr, RWS: Rs 100 cr, and Irrigation: Rs 100 cr).

"The state government has already started rescue and relief operations on war footing and I am personally camping in these districts, visiting the affected areas and supervising rescue, relief and restoration operations," Naidu said in the letter. He requested the Union government to be liberal in sanctioning the relief expeditiously to minimize the misery of the people.