Gujarat govt disburses Rs 8.04 crore in cash assistance to over 1.69 lakh citizens in 14 flood-affected districts

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], September 4 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed District Collectors to accelerate the recovery efforts in areas affected by heavy rains and expedite the distribution of cash assistance and household aid to needy families.

Responding to the Chief Minister’s directions, district administrations are processing payments of cash assistance and household support to affected families in both rural and urban areas. This is being done through comprehensive surveys of the impacted regions. The State Government is helping people and families whose livelihoods have been disrupted and whose household goods have been damaged or destroyed due to the heavy rains.

Addressing the press at the State Emergency Operation Center, Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey stated that survey operations have been undertaken by a total of 1,120 teams across the districts of Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Anand, Kutch, Kheda, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Narmada, Navsari, Porbandar, Morbi, and Valsad.

As of September 3, a total of Rs 8.04 crores in cash relief has been disbursed to 1,69,561 people in these districts. About 1,160 teams have surveyed families whose household belongings, including clothing, were damaged or destroyed by flooding. To date, Rs 20.07 crores have been disbursed as household and clothing assistance to 50,111 affected families in these districts, he added.

The Relief Commissioner added that during this period, the families of 22 deceased individuals have received a total of Rs 88 lakhs in assistance from the state government. Additionally, a sum of Rs 1.78 crores has been disbursed to the owners of 2,618 livestock that perished.

Moreover, surveys have been conducted in the rain-affected districts to assess damage to both temporary and permanent houses, including those partially or totally destroyed. As a result, a total of Rs 3.67 crores has been distributed as assistance to the owners of 4,673 affected houses and huts, he said.

The Relief Commissioner further stated that due to the heavy rainfall over the past two days in South and Central Gujarat, the survey operations are still ongoing in several districts.

“As details regarding the number of affected families and people become available, the district administration will continue to process further payments for household items, clothing assistance, emergency cash relief, compensation for human and livestock deaths, as well as damages to temporary and permanent housing,” Alok Kumar Pandey said.

In the wake of the heavy rainfall across the state, 17 teams from the NDRF, 27 from the SDRF, along with 9 columns from the Army, and additional teams from the Air Force and Coast Guard, have been deployed.

These teams have successfully rescued a total of 37,050 people and relocated 42,083 people to safer locations. Additionally, 53 people have been airlifted to safety.

Providing the details on the ongoing rehabilitation efforts to restore normalcy in the state, the Relief Commissioner said that a total of 2,230 kilometres of roads damaged by heavy rainfall will be repaired within the next 10 days, making all roads motorable.

“Out of the 6,931 villages and 17 cities affected by power outages due to heavy rainfall, electricity has been restored in 6,927 villages and all 17 cities. Efforts are underway on a war footing to restore power in the remaining villages. A total of 88 substations were shut down as a precaution due to flooding, of which 86 have been reactivated,” he said.

He further stated that a continuous efforts are being made to repair broken roads and remove waterlogging in urban areas. Additionally, a cleanliness drive is being conducted, along with the spraying of disinfectants.

“The Urban Development Department has allocated a grant of Rs 700 crores under the Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana to municipal corporations for road repair and related work,” he added.

The Relief Commissioner said that a total of 48,695 people, including 602 pregnant women, have been relocated to 880 shelter homes across the state, where they received medical examinations from health teams.

Additionally, 216 successful deliveries have been conducted in hospitals within the flood-affected areas, he said.