Kerala Floods: Rs 700 crore Aid Not Announced, Says UAE Ambassador Ahmed Albanna
On Thursday there were reports that India has rejected an offer by the UAE government to give special fund for Kerala state after its floods which killed several people,
Kerala, August 24: Here comes the latest twist where the UAE Ambassador Ahmed Albanna has spoken to the Indian Express that there has been no official announcement by United Arab Emirates UAE on any specific amount as financial aid. He was quoted saying, “The assessment of relief needed for the flood and aftermath is ongoing. Announcing any specific amount as financial aid, I don’t think it is final since it is still ongoing." This comes after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on August 21 said that UAE has offered financial assistance of Rs 700 crore to the state which has been devasted due to floods. Kerala Floods: UAE Offers Rs 700 Crore as Financial Aid, More Than What Indian Central Govt Commits
On Thursday there were reports that India has rejected the offer by the UAE government. According to reports, the foreign ministry said in a statement explaining the move, "In line with the existing policy, the government is committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation through domestic efforts," the foreign ministry said in a statement explaining the move. The ministry added that foreign money could only be donated through Indian-origin individuals or foundations."
Narendra Modi has been receiving a lot of flak on social media for offering only Rs 600 crore financial aid for the flood-affected victims. According to an ANI report, the Centre on Thursday clarified that Rs.600 crore released for tackling the flood situation in Kerala was only an advance assistance, and additional funds would be released from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) on assessment of the damages in the flood-hit state as per laid down procedure.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 24, 2018 10:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).