Kerala: Flood of funding woes

It is an existential crisis for Kerala. Damage from the floods is estimated at not less than Rs 20,000 crore. The Union government has given about Rs 600 crore so far but has turned down any foreign aid in cash offers as that has been the policy since the 2004 tsunami.

Kerala leaders hit out at the Centre for supposedly rejecting a Rs 700 crore aid offer from UAE, a country with which Keralites have had links for decades while also having played a leading role in building that nation from scratch. It appears there was no firm offer of $100 million as made out by a Gulf businessman and which was taken as true by the Kerala government and its CM who propagated it in tweets.

The Centre was then accused of being a dog in the manger. The claim, however, falls flat on UAE dragging back to say that it had made no firm offer and the Bakhts pounced on Kerala with their Communist-Islamist conspiracy theories.

The larger political point is that Kerala is ruled by the Left front, quite the opposite of saffron rule in many northern states. The BJP-ruled states have not been as generous as non-BJP states in rushing money, food and relief materials in a humanitarian effort that has warmed the cockles of Keralite hearts.

More than 13 lakh people are packed into 3,300 temporary camps even as the floods took a toll of at least 420 lives.

A huge reconstruction effort lies ahead of the State while arguments over whether the world’s sixth largest economy should accept foreign aid even in times of natural disasters. The jury is still out on the controversies just as Tweeple seized upon it to give their varied opinions.

Amit Malviya@amitmalviya
UAE Ambassador Ahmed Albanna said that there has been no official announcement so far by the UAE on any specific amount as financial aid... So we have been having a national debate on 700 cr, when there is not even an offer on the table! #KeralaFloodRelief

Dilip K Kainikkara #RebuildKerala@Dilip_K_K
It was Pinarayi Vijayan who requested 2000 Crore as immediate assistance even half of which wasn't granted. He is being a statesman and focusing on the crisis, but don't use him as an excuse for discriminatory Central Government actions

Jiggs@Sootradhar
This is shamefull explanation about the finances advanced by the Union Govt and Foreign aid. It was Manmohan who decided that India will not accept foreign aid for natural calamities , India did not accept aid for Tsunami, Kashmir EQ & Uttarakhand Floods. Stop misleading India.

Rahul@jh_rahul
Just shows you are an opportunistic politician in the moment of crisis you are trying to score political points. Are you going to spend the entire 2200cr in next one week?? Which state has got the entire relief package in one shot ever?? Have the courtesy to be humble

K G Surendran@surendrankol
so that means at this stage there is NO offer from the UAE - so how did Kerala CM dream of this 700 crores figure it is a very very serious matter where a sitting Chief Minister is misguiding people on mere hearsay.  More A Chief Minister caught lying in a press conference is mere technicality? how can you as a citizen be so trivial about a blatant lie by a sitting Chief Minister & I have my eyes opened it is yours which is shut because u don't want 2accept the truth

muhamed rafi@muhamedrafip
We all kerala know that if kerala government gets any funds that will reach to the people coz kerala governments is not a Bjp government so our government will not help the Ambani Adani or Vijaymallya

Suresh Kodoor@skodoor
So, why u guys were making so much noise trying to block a 'non-existent' offer? Howcome even the PM didnt make any clarification then as he was on the original tweet? Why one of your own ministers said he was for accepting this 'non-existent' offer and is pushing the govt?

Balakrishnan G Nair@BalakrishnanGN
In the wake of insensitivity shown towards #KeralaFlood Relief , one can safely conclude that the flood waters will ensure the lotus will doom and not bloom!

Thomas Isaac@drthomasisaac
We asked Union Gov for financial support of `2200 Cr ; they grant us a precious `600 Cr . We make no request to any foreign gov but UAE gov voluntarily offer `700cr. No, says Union gov , it is below our dignity to accept foreign aid. This is a dog in the manger policy.

Shaista@shaistasalam1
From #Demonetization to GST to refusing the aid money, is there anything BJP govt has done in the best interest of the people?

Ravi Kant@ra1410vi
Could you provide a rough calculation on what basis you are seeking 2000 Crore money aid ?? Did you evaluate the impact of tragedy? Alas !! You are just trying to swim into your hatred politics in the inundated Kerala

Booby prize
As the flood situation in Kerala worsens, Swaminathan Gurumurthy, the newly appointed member on the board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) blamed women for the tragic situation.

In a tweet, Gurumurthy linked the Kerala floods to women’s entry in Sabarimala Temple in the southern state and asked the Supreme Court judges to rethink.

“Supreme court judges may like to see if there is any connection between the case and what is happening in Sabarimala. Even if there is one in a million chance of a link people would not like the case decided against Ayyappan,” his tweet read.