Kerala Floods: India Unlikely to Accept Foreign Aid For Rain Ravaged State
India is unlikely to take monetary donations from foreign countries for the flood-hit state of Kerala.
New Delhi, August 22: India is unlikely to take monetary donations from foreign countries for the flood-hit state of Kerala. According to a Times of India report, sources said that while India was "extremely grateful", its own resources will be used for rebuilding Kerala. This comes after the UAE, Qatar and Maldives announced funds for Kerala.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has offered financial assistance of Rs 700 crore to the state which has been devasted due to floods. Qatar has also offered a relief package of Rs 35 crore while Maldives has pledged $50,000 for the state.
The Government of India on Tuesday released Rs 600 crore relief package for Kerala a day after it declared the floods in Kerala as a 'calamity of severe nature'. The declaration came days after the Opposition attacked the government for refraining from declaring the floods in Kerala as a 'national disaster'.
Meanwhile, this won't be the first time that the government refuses to take foreign donations for a flood-hit state. In 2013, the UPA government had also refused foreign donations and had instead announced a packaged of over Rs 7,000 crore for the flood-ravaged Uttarakhand.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2018 10:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).