Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that the chief minister’s relief fund had received Rs 400 crore in the last 20 days. He said that the people have liked the unity showed by the leaders and officials during the crisis of floods that have inundated parts of Vijayawada.
Chandrababu Naidu addressed the media at the NTR district Collectorate on the day. He said that people of all sections have responded to the plight of the flood victims. The officials and the elected representatives have worked together to help the victims, he said.
He said that people have seen flood water on one side and rain water on the other. They were in the flood water for nine days, he said. They suffered heavily during those nine days, he said. He further added that he had never seen the heavy floods to Budameru rivulet in his 40 years of political career.
Chandrababu Naidu said that he had walked in the flood water and met the victims. He gave courage to the flood victims at the hour of crisis, he said. He further added that the had promised greater support from the government to the victims.
The chief minister said that people have responded with open heart to help the victims, he said. He said that the chief minister’s relief fund had received Rs 400 crore. That amount was itself a history, he added. He said that he and the officials have worked hard for 11 days to help the flood victims. He thanked the employees for their hard work, when people were in trouble.
Chandrababu Naidu said that the previous YSR Congress government had neglected irrigation projects in the last five years. The neglect had cost heavily as Vijayawada was inundated, he said. He said he had visited Ajitsingnagar first, saw the plight of the people. Then he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the floods, he said. He added that he was able to bring boats to the city from different parts of the country.
Chandrababu Naidu said that 780 machines have worked during the floods. The fire services department had cleaned 75000 houses, and 331 kilometers of roads. In all 47 persons died in the floods, the chief minister said.
The chief minister said that the government had released Rs 602 crore to the flood victims so far. The total loss caused by the floods was estimated at Rs 6,800 crore, he said. He said that the government had given Rs 25,000 each to the ground floor families which were inundated in the flood water and Rs 10,000 to those in the first floor.
