HYDERABAD, SEP 9 : Telangana Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced that the state government will provide Rs 5 lakh and an Indiramma House to the families of those who lost their lives in the recent floods.

Following instructions from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy regarding the impact of heavy rains and floods across Telangana, Minister Srinivas Reddy chaired a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday.

The minister directed officials to prepare a detailed estimate of the damage and the funds required for recovery across different departments.

He emphasised the need for accurate assessments of the damage in flood-affected areas and instructed officials to ensure thorough and accurate reporting to the Centre. The minister was briefed by officials from various departments on the extent of the damage.

Srinivas Reddy assured that the state government would fully support flood victims, stating, “No one should worry; the government will help every affected person.”

The minister announced that 33 districts have been declared rain-affected, with 33 lives lost across the state. The fatalities include six in Khammam, five in Kothagudem, four in Mulugu, and three each in Kamareddy and Wanaparthy. The government will provide Rs 5 lakh in financial assistance to the families of the deceased and will also issue the grant for Indiramma houses.

Thousands of houses have been completely or partially destroyed by the recent floods. The state government has ordered that Rs 5 lakh be provided for the construction of Indiramma houses for affected families. District collectors were instructed to begin this process immediately.

The minister said that Rs 16,500 will be provided to each household whose home was damaged in the floods. This aid will be transferred directly into the victims’ bank accounts to ensure transparency and prevent corruption. Initially, the government had promised Rs 10,000 in assistance, but after assessing the damage, the amount was increased to Rs 16,500 from a humanitarian perspective.

Preliminary estimates from the Agriculture Department indicate that lakhs of acres of crops have been damaged. The government is providing Rs. 10,000 per acre as compensation for farmers affected by the floods.

The minister stated that 358 villages across Telangana are under threat due to flooding, with approximately 2 lakh people affected. About 158 rehabilitation centres have been set up, and 13,494 people have been relocated to safer areas. Early intervention measures have saved 2,454 lives.

The heavy rains and floods have caused extensive damage to roads, particularly those under the R&B and Panchayat Raj divisions. Temporary repairs have already been carried out in remote areas, while district collectors have been instructed to develop permanent restoration plans within two to three days. The minister stressed that major and medium irrigation projects should also undergo permanent repairs.

Collectors have been directed to send detailed reports within 24 hours on the condition of Anganwadi centres, government hospitals, schools, and primary health centres damaged by the floods.

Many families lost important documents such as land titles, property papers, Aadhaar cards, and ration cards due to flooding. The government has set up special counters at local police stations where victims can apply for duplicate copies of their documents.

The government will purchase damaged grain through the Civil Supplies Department at the minimum support price. Additionally, it was noted that Suryapet and Paleru faced severe damage due to mining waste blocking floodwaters. Mining agencies responsible for dumping 18 lakh cubic meters of waste will be held accountable for the damages caused, an official statement said.(UNI)