Kochi, August 23: Struggling to raise resources for rehabilitation after the devastating floods in Kerala, the state government has demanded that it should be allowed to impose a 10 per cent cess on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and also introduce a special lottery. As part of its efforts to mobilise more resources for rehabilitation, flood-ravaged Kerala has asked for the GST council’s permission to introduce 10 per cent cess on the GST, a government release said. The decision was taken at a state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday.

Nearly one million people are sheltering in a number of relief camps, set up by the administration across the state. The Cabinet also decided to accept the materials supplied by individuals and voluntary organisations outside the state and distribute the same in relief camps. Rains, floods and landslides in Kerala have killed 373 people, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) informed. Altogether 87 people were injured and 32 others went missing in the deluge which hit all the 14 districts of the southern state.

In view of the flood situation, all plantation workers will be given 50 kg of free ration. The government release said that fire department personnel, police and revenue officials as also fishermen who took part in the rescue operations will be given a certificate of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority in recognition of their services.

With rains easing and water receding in some areas of flood-ravaged Kerala, people have started returning to their homes. Earlier this week, Union Minister K. J. Alphons appealed for cooked food and skilled workers to rehabilitate more than 10 lakh displaced people. Flagging the immediate needs of the people, he tweeted, “Doctors and nurses who can go down to the villages as there is apprehension about the possibility of an outbreak of disease. New clothes, if it can be distributed through NGOs,” he said.

The Centre had declared the devastating floods in Kerala a “calamity of severe nature” and announced a relief of Rs 600 crore for the flood-hit state. About 10.78 lakh people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children under 12, have been sheltered in 3,200 relief camps, officials said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2018 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).