People of Wayanad looking for actions, not excuses: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday asserted that disasters should not be about politics and said the people of landslides-hit Wayanad are looking towards the state and central governments with hope and "don't need excuses".

She asserted that the people of Wayanad need urgent help to be able to rebuild their lives with dignity.

"Disasters should not be about politics. Efforts to support the victims of such disasters must prioritise humanity and compassion," the Wayanad MP said on X.

"The people of Wayanad are looking towards the State and Central Governments with hope, they don't need excuses, they need urgent help to be able to rebuild their lives with dignity," the Congress general secretary said.

She said India stands strongest when every level of government works together to heal wounds and rebuild lives.

The Centre and State must step up and fulfil its responsibility to the people of Wayanad, she asserted.

Priyanka Gandhi also shared what she said was Home Minister Amit Shah's response to the representation made by MPs from Kerala.

Her remarks come days after a delegation of parliamentarians from Kerala led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met Shah, seeking the Centre's support for landslide-affected people while urging him to rise above politics and be more forthcoming in providing relief.

In her post Friday, Priyanka Gandhi shared screenshots of the "note on assistance for landslides and flash floods in Wayanad".

'The Central Government is sensitive towards the affected people of Wayanad and has proactively stepped forward to provide all possible assistance to the state government," the note read.

In order to provide immediate relief to the affected people after the landslide disaster in Wayanad, the first installment of central share of Rs 145.60 crore was released on July 31, 2024 and the second installment of Rs 145.60 crore on October 1, 2024, was released to the state in advance, it said.

Besides, adequate funds of Rs 782.99 crore are available in the state's SDRF account for relief operations, including the balance of Rs 394.99 crore in the State's SDRF account, the note said.

An Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was constituted on August 2, 2024 itself for damage assessment by the Central government without waiting for the memorandum from the state government of Kerala, which visited the affected areas of the State from 8th August to 10th August , 2024, the note said.

At the same time, on 10th August, the Prime Minister visited the landslide-hit areas of Choral Mala, Mundakki and Punchiriyumttum in Wayanad by conducting an aerial survey of the affected areas.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to formulate new long-term schemes to help the affected people, especially the children who lost their loved ones, the note said.

The State Government submitted its formal memorandum on August 19, 2024 seeking additional assistance of Rs 214.68 crore under NDRF for providing temporary relief assistance of immediate nature, including Rs 36 crore for estimated debris clearance, which was yet to be spent, it said.

Based on the report of the IMCT, the High Level Committee (HLC) in its meeting held on November 16, 2024 approved an amount of Rs 153.47 crore  (subject to adjustment of 50% of the available balance in the SDRF account) as assistance for actual air bills of Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters for rescue and relief and actual expenditure for clearing of debris, it said.

The State government has recently submitted a report and submitted its memo with an estimate of Rs 2219.033 crore for recovery and reconstruction works, the note said.

As per established procedure, the Central Government immediately constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to examine the State's report and based on its report, appropriate Central assistance will be provided for recovery and reconstruction, it said.

While the primary responsibility for disaster management lies with the state government, during the Wayanad tragedy, the central government stood by the state government with full sensitivity and provided all assistance and relief operations, the note concluded.