Andhra vs Telangana: Flood relief raises stink of Centre’s ‘partiality’

Allegations of partiality by the Centre between states ruled by NDA partners and Opposition parties has cropped up again. This time, it's between the two Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with respect to flood relief assistance from the BJP government at the Centre.

Previously, states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal have accused the Centre of being unjustly tight-fisted about providing disaster relief to them.

While Andhra Pradesh currently has an NDA government led by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana is being ruled by the Congress. Now, the Telangana government headed by Revanth Reddy has reportedly demanded behind closed doors that it be treated on a par with the Andhra government in terms of flood relief assistance.

Also read: Done asking, pleading, demanding, South states take legal recourse for Central funds

What they sought, what they got

A little number crunching will reveal whether Telangana’s demand is unjust or not. The September floods caused damage estimated at Rs 10,320 crore in Telangana, of which it sought only Rs 2,000 crore — about 20 per cent — from the Centre. However, what the Centre has cleared from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) is only 5 per cent — Rs 416.80 crore.

Coming to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the estimated flood loss is Rs 6,880 crore, the entirety of which Chief Minister Naidu sought as assistance from the Centre. The NDA-headed Union government cleared 15 per cent of it — Rs 1,036 crore — even though Telangana’s loss is seemingly much bigger than Andhra’s.

 Also read: Telangana: CM Reddy presses Centre to declare floods as national calamity, provide aid 

Stepmotherly treatment?

While the Telangana government has not made any public statement yet, Revanth Reddy is believed to have expressed his displeasure with the Centre’s perceived stepmotherly treatment at a meeting with senior officials.

The Telangana government has also reportedly urged the Centre to relax the rules over the funds that states can apply for under the SDRF. The Centre may reportedly hold a meeting on Monday (October 7) to discuss flood relief issues with both Telugu states.

So far, there has been no public statement on Telangana’s allegations of partiality from the Andhra government either¸ which is busy with the whole Tirupati laddu controversy.

Need for clarity

The Telangana government, which has promised Rs 10,000 as aid to each flood-affected family, has not been able to keep its word due to the lack of clarity regarding central funds. It is not yet clear whether the funds cleared by the Centre are the first tranche or the full amount.

The floods wreaked havoc in parts of Telangana as it did in Andhra. Initially, the losses in Telangana were estimated at Rs 5,438 crore. But a field-level assessment pushed it up to Rs 10,320 crore. Rs 7,693.53 crore has been lost in damage to roads, while the Urban Development department suffered losses worth Rs 1,216.17 crore.

Also read: Human encroachment, rather than rivulet Budameru, is Sorrow of Vijayawada

Lion’s share bagged by NDA states

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Cabinet colleague and Telangana MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar had conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected regions in Telangana too. Reddy had also met Chouhan and requested that the Centre not treat the two Telugu states unequally, which Chouhan promised to ensure.

However, the numbers evidently speak otherwise. In fact, not only Andhra, the bulk of flood relief assistance of Rs 5,858.60 crore released by the Union Home Ministry to 14 flood-affected states has been bagged by the NDA-ruled states such as Maharashtra (Rs 1,492 crore), Assam (Rs 716 crore), Bihar (Rs 655.60 crore), and Gujarat (Rs 600 crore).

Among the non-NDA states, West Bengal has got Rs 468 crore, Himachal Pradesh has got Rs 189.20 crore, while Kerala has got Rs 145.60 crore.