New Delhi: External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday announced that passports damaged in floods in Kerala, which is reeling under unprecedented Monsoon rains, will be replaced free of cost by the government.
"We have decided that as the situation becomes normal, passports damaged on account (of) floods shall be replaced free of charge. Please contact the concerned Passport Kendras," Swaraj tweeted.
Kerala has been torn apart by massive floods and landslides following the torrential rain, which claimed 37 lives and over 60,000 were forced to take shelter in relief camps. Around 10 of the 14 districts in state have been affected by the floods.
The Kerala government pegged the damages at Rs 8,316 crore. Saying Kerala is facing the biggest floods after 1924, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked the central government to send a delegation to assess the damages.
Meanwhile, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said the centre has allocated an immediate relief of Rs 100 crore to the southern state. And promised to allocate more aid.
Pinarayi had on Saturday announced Rs 10 lakh as compensation to those who lost their houses and land in the rain, and Rs 4 lakh to those who lost a member of their family. The toll in the monsoon fury since August 8 has climbed to 37.
Rajnath Singh, who made an aerial survey of badly affected areas in Idukki and Ernakulam districts, said the rains and floods had caused "massive damage" to the farm sector and infrastructure like roads and power.
"Kerala is facing an unprecedented flood situation. It is unprecedented because never before in the history of independent India has Kerala witnessed such massive floods," he told reporters here.
He was speaking after reviewing the situation with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, minister of state for tourism Alphons Kannanthanam, state ministers and senior officials.