PM visits AP, announces Rs 1,000cr for flood relief

Describing the unprecedented floods in Andhra Pradesh as a national calamity in its own way, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced an immediate advance of Rs 1,000 crore towards relief and rehabilitation works in the state.

Ahead of his visit to the affected areas in BJP-ruled Karnataka tomorrow, he also ruled out any discrimination by the Centre in extending support in tackling the flood situation.

Addressing a press conference after an aerial survey of the affected areas in Kurnool, Krishna, Mehboobnagar and other districts, he said the Centre stands ready to assist the state in every possible way.

"The Central government stands behind the state government in meeting the grave challenge of the unprecedented tragedy that has befallen the five districts. Money will not a constraint," he said.

Replying to questions about the state government's demand for Central assistance, Singh said there are certain set procedures that would be followed in finalising the aid for the state government.

The state government should first make an assessment and give its estimates which the Centre would assess and send a team after which a collective agreement on the amount for tackling the damage would be made, he said.

Asked whether the Centre would accept the state government's demand to declare the flood as a national calamity, the Prime Minister said "in its own way, it is a national calamity".

"I have assured the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues that whatever is necessary to provide effective assistance will be given," he said.

Singh said that there were various resource mobilitation efforts and that would be undertaken.

Asked whether he was satisfied with the measures taken by the state government, the prime minister said that he did not come to find faults with the state government but promised that lapses would be looked into.

Replying to a question on Karnataka's allegations of discrimination in providing Central assistance, he said "so long as I am the prime minister, we will not discriminate between one state or the other depending on the political complex of that state. That is not our approach".