Central team to assess damage in flood-hit parts of Kerala

NEW DELHI: A high-level Central team will visit Kerala soon to assess the damage caused due to floods and landslides during ongoing southwest monsoon.

Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted an inter -ministerial team for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage, official sources said here today.

The decision to send the Central team was taken after Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran gave instruction to officials to speed up action for an early financial relief to the state hit by floods and landslides.

Sources said the Minister had discussed the matter with Home Secretary Anil Goswamy and Secretary (Disaster Management), Gauri Kumar.

The team will be headed by Home Ministry Joint Secretary Vumlungamang, and consist of representatives from Agriculture, Finance, Planning Commission, Rural Development, Road Transport and Highways and Drinking Water and Sanitation.

The central team will visit the state immediately after receipt of final memorandum from the state government with details of Sector-wise damage and with due justification on the requirement of additional funding, officials said.

So far the state government has only presented a preliminary memorandum, they said.