All passports that were damaged in the Kerala floods will be renewed free of cost by the central government, announced external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday.
Taking to Twitter, the External Affairs Minister announced, "There are unprecedented floods in Kerala causing huge damage. We have decided that as the situation becomes normal, passports damaged on account floods shall be replaced free of charge. Please contact the concerned Passport Kendras. #KeralaFloods Pls RT".
There are unprecedented floods in Kerala causing huge damage. We have decided that as the situation becomes normal, passports damaged on account floods shall be replaced free of charge. Please contact the concerned Passport Kendras. #KeralaFloods Pls RT
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 12, 2018
Kerala has witnessed torrential rainfall claiming 37 lives over the past few weeks. As many as 1,01,213 people have lost their homes due to floods and landslides in different parts of the state and are currently being housed at relief camps.
Around 1,023 camps have been set up in the flood-hit districts of Kochi, Palakkad, Malappuram, Idukki etc where 13,857 families have been housed. The rains have also destroyed 243 houses completely and partially ruined 4,392 houses in the state, according to the damage assessment that was done.
On Saturday, CM Pinarayi Vijayan, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and chief secretary Tom Jose had undertaken an aerial survey in the flood-hit parts of Idukki.
NDRF personnel and several columns of army, navy, coast guard and helicopters from the air force have been deployed to undertake relief and rescue operations in the state.
The CM even announced Rs 10 lakh as compensation to those who lost their houses and Rs 4 lakh to those who lost a member of their family.
State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Monday took to Twitter to announce that material losses to the tune of Rs 8000 crore had been recorded due to rain-related calamities.
A memorandum submitted to the centre requested the government to release funds to the tune of Rs 1,220 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund as immediate relief. However, only Rs 100 crore has been granted until now as immediate relief to the state.