NEW DELHI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on Saturday announced an immediate financial assistance of five billion Indian Rupees (around 75 million U.S. dollars) for flood-ravaged southern state of Kerala.
This is in addition to 15 million U.S. dollars announced by the central government earlier a few days ago.
Modi announced the financial relief after conducting an aerial survey of the state, where according to official sources, 324 people have died and hundreds of thousands marooned after being rendered homeless.
The prime minister also announced an ex-gratia relief of 200,000 Indian Rupees (around 2,860 U.S. dollars) per person who died in the floods, and 50,000 Indian Rupees (around 714 U.S. dollars) to each person injured, from the "PM's National Relief Fund" (PMNRF).
Besides, he assured the state government of providing relief materials, including foodgrains, medicines, tents, clothes, etc.
He directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to repair the main national highways damaged in the devastating floods on priority basis. He also instructed the power companies to render all possible assistance to the state government in restoring the snapped power lines.
Poor villagers, whose houses have been destroyed in the floods, would be provided new houses under the "Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin" (a housing scheme run under the PM office), announced Modi on the occasion.
