Vaghela promises textile package

Centre keeping close watch on flood situation, minister assures industry

Union textiles minister Shankarsinh Vaghela said the Central government would shortly announce a relief package for Surat's textile industry.

Vaghela, who arrived here this evening, after reviewing flood situation in Bharuch, was talking to media-persons at the Circuit House.

The Surat textiles industry suffered huge losses due to incessant rains and a flood-like situation in the past few days.

Speaking on the occasion, Vaghela said: "The Congress party has kept a close look on the flood-like situation in south Gujarat. We will conduct a survey of the damage caused by the rains in Surat and give the details to prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi."

"We will be meeting representatives of textile industry in the next couple of days. We will also visit some of the affected industrial areas. We will return to Delhi and work out the various modalities for announcing a relief package for the textile industry," the textiles minister said.

Vaghela also attacked Narendra Modi government for making false allegations against the Centre with regards to delay in arrival of the Army.

"The Army arrived in the flood affected areas of Gujarat, at the shortest possible notice. Can Narendra Modi and his government answer why it took almost three days for deploying the army when the entire state was caught in the grip of communal violence, in wake of the Godhra train carnage," Vaghela asked.

"The Gujarat government does not know how to communicate with the Central government and is indulging in unnecessary blame games. We do not want to politicise the issue and as I have said earlier, we, as the representatives of Gujarat, will conduct a survey and seek relief for the state," Vaghela added.

Political advisor to Congress President Sonia Gandhi Ahmed Patel, who is accompanying Vaghela, too attacked Narendra Modi for politicising the issue.

"The Gujarat Government is making baseless allegations against the Centre regarding the relief package and deployment of army. As far as the army is concerned, it had reached the state within 24 hours. With regards to the relief package, the state government says it has written to the Centre for assistance, but this is not the right way. The Modi government should first conduct a proper survey, submit the details and then make demands for financial assistance," Patel said.

"Gujarat has witnessed natural calamities like earthquake, floods, cyclones, etc. in the past. Can the state government explain how much relief it had sought during the earlier calamities from the centre, where again BJP was in power and how much it actually got," Patel questioned.

"The floods have caused large-scale devastation in the state and we believe it should get a relief package. Congress representatives from the state will raise the issue and try the very best to secure a proper relief package," Patel said.

Speaking about Sonia Gandhi's visit to Surat, Patel said, "She is most likely to visit the city on August 12, but it would all depend on the weather. A final programme has not been decided as yet, but if weather permits, she will be here on August 12."