Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the Cyclone Montha had caused losses to the tune of Rs 6,384 crore to various sectors in Andhra Pradesh. The cyclone affected about 10 lakh people. The Chief Minister urged the central government to sanction Rs 2,622 crore as immediate relief for restoration of roads, electricity and infrastructure damaged in the affected areas.
The Chief Minister then proposed, as part of the coastal erosion prevention plan:
He also recommended apportioning:
A central government team led by Union Home Ministry Joint Secretary Pousumi Basu met the Chief Minister at his camp office on Tuesday after visiting the cyclone-hit districts. Special Chief Secretary (Revenue) Jayalakshmi presented a detailed report on the damage caused by Cyclone Montha during the meeting.
Mr. Naidu asked the central team to prepare and submit its report quickly so that the state gets adequate support. He said the final damage estimates would be sent to the Centre within two days.
The Chief Minister explained that the cotton farmers of the state suffered heavy losses due to the cyclone. He asked the central government to revise the procurement rules for soaked paddy, considering the severe impact on agriculture.
He also pointed out that the disaster relief fund was misused during the previous YSRCP government and that implementation of centrally sponsored schemes had been stopped. This issue, he said, has already been brought to the attention of the Centre.
The Central team lauded the timely actions by the state government and the early warning system that saved many lives. In particular, it praised the RTGS for advance warnings. The review meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Vijayanand and senior officials from different departments.
