The Telangana government on Saturday dispatched 100 tonnes of nutritious food for children in flood-hit Kerala.
The food manufactured by Telangana Foods, a state government enterprise, was airlifted to Kerala on Saturday. According to officials, the food known as 'Balamrutham' is worth Rs 52.5 lakh.
The food was airlifted by two Defence aircraft (C17 Globemaster) from Begumpet Airport.
The food is expected to provide supplementary nutrition to about 50,000 children for 10 days, officials said.
This assistance is in addition to Rs 25 crore aid announced by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday.
The Chief Minister has directed officials to provide all necessary help to Kerala in the relief operations.
Rao has also appealed to industrialists and businessmen to come forward and donate generously for the flood-hit Kerala.
Meanwhile Telangana IT KT Rama Rao, who is also the son of the state’s CM, said that he was donating his salary for one month to the flood-hit state.
“Besides the Telangana state government’s contribution of 25 cr to Kerala, I personally pledge my 1-month salary to flood relief. Will be sending the cheque to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Request my colleague legislators to also contribute as much as possible,” KTR tweeted.
The death toll due to rains and floods in Kerala has gone up to 368, as 33 more deaths were reported on Saturday even as around 58,000 people were rescued in different parts of the state, and red alert is now there in just three districts, down from 11.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while giving the latest figures, told the media late on Saturday that the flood relief work is going on in full swing and things are slowly coming under control and more helicopters and personnel would be engaged in the rescue and relief operations on Sunday.
The 33 deaths reported during the day took place in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.
IANS inputs