Mizoram seeks Rs 237.6 crore central aid for rehabilitation after cyclone Remal devastation

Aizawl: The Mizoram government has sought monetary assistance amounting to Rs 237.6 crore from the Centre to rehabilitate and repair the damages caused by landslides and rain that hit the state in May as a fallout of cyclone Remal, state disaster management and rehabilitation minister K Sapdanga said. 

He said that Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who is currently camping in Delhi, submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday detailing the extent of the damage caused by the recent cyclone Remal in the state and seeking financial assistance from the Centre. 

Sapdanga said that the recent landslides, rain and other calamities occurred as a fallout of cyclone Remal had killed 34 people and caused heavy damage to public and private properties. 

He said that the state government has proposed financial assistance amounting to Rs. 237.6 crore, which is the lowest minimum amount after calculation of requirements as per the existing rate of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

At least 34 people were killed when houses were swept away by landslides in seven places in the state capital Aizawl region on May 28.

During a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial team representing various Union Ministries and state departments in Aizawl on Saturday, Sapdanga said that the damages caused by Remal were far more devastating and widespread than initially predicted. 

The minister thanked the Inter-Ministerial team for visiting Mizoram to conduct spot verification of the damages caused by cyclone Remal. 

He briefed the Central team on the disastrous effects Cyclone Remal had on the state's roads, water supply, electricity and other important state infrastructure, as well as the damage to ongoing projects during the meeting chaired by state chief secretary Renu Sharma.

The Inter-Ministerial Team led by MHA joint secretary Abhijit, included Jinta Das, Director, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmer's Welfare, Directorate of Jute Development, Kolkata; Mahesh Kumar, Dy. Director, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure (FCD), New Delhi; Rajveer Singh, Superintending Engineer, Ministry of Jal Shakti, CWC, Silchar; Adelbert Susngi, Regional Officer, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Guwahati and Moti Ram, Assistant Commissioner (NSAP), Rural Development, New Delhi.

State officials from Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Public Work Department, Power and Electricity, Public Health Engineering,  Agriculture and Horticulture departments presented a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the cyclone Remal's impact during the meeting.