Andhra Pradesh Seeks Urgent Relief of ₹902 Crore After Cyclone Montha Devastation
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Andhra Pradesh ministers Nara Lokesh and V Anitha met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the state's recovery from Cyclone Montha's devastating impact. The cyclone, which made landfall on October 28, brought strong winds and heavy rainfall, affecting nearly 950,000 people. The state government has estimated total damages at ₹6,362 crore and is seeking ₹902 crore in immediate relief from the Centre. In a comprehensive report, the government detailed the cyclone's impact on 3,109 villages across 24 districts. According to the report, the cyclone caused significant losses in multiple sectors, including roads, infrastructure, water resources, agriculture, and housing. The National Disaster Response Fund guidelines qualify approximately ₹902 crore for immediate relief. The state government's swift response included evacuating 1.92 lakh people to 2,471 relief camps, providing essential aid, and releasing an emergency fund of ₹60 crore. Each affected family received ₹3,000 in immediate relief. In a separate meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the ministers highlighted the severe impact on the state's agriculture. The continuous rainfall and prolonged waterlogging damaged approximately 1.61 lakh hectares of agricultural land, affecting 3.27 lakh farmers and destroying an estimated 4.36 lakh metric tonnes of crops. The state government is seeking ₹271 crore specifically for agriculture relief, in addition to the ₹902 crore in immediate relief. A Central Inter-Ministerial Committee conducted field inspections to assess the damage, and the state is urging the Centre to provide urgent support to help recover from the extensive agricultural and horticultural losses.
