Kerala: CM’s Campaign Becomes A Roaring Success, Fetches Rs 120 Crore For Ockhi Relief

Apart from central government’s grant of Rs 133 crore, Kerala government has managed to get Rs 120 crore as the result of a collective effort by the government and finance department. The money seems to be close to the amount of central government’s grant. This happens at a time when the state faces a severe financial crisis.

The CPI(M)-led Pinarayi government has faced severe criticisms for failing to rise to the situation. Thomas Issac, Finance minister of Kerala has earlier told the media that the state coffers are in short of money because of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), reports Livemint.

“Whatever amount we have collected from our campaigning, we are going to make use of it effectively, to rectify the damages caused by cyclone Ockhi”, said Manoj Joshi IAS, principal secretary of finance to The Logical Indian. When asked about the participation from various sectors of people, he said that both government officials and common people contributed to the Ockhi relief fund.

How was the money collected?

Chief Minister and cabinet ministers have contributed their one-month salary. Senior government officers have offered 2-3 days salary and junior government officers donated a day’s salary. Apart from this, the opposition- Congress and BJP have also contributed. The campaign also received money from common people too. The government is paying every adult and child in the affected families who can’t work with Rs 65 and Rs 45 per day respectively, reports the Livemint.

It was on Wednesday that the central government has sanctioned Rs 133 crore to the state government. The team headed by Vipin Mallik, a top official in the home department visited Ockhi struck coasts of the states as two teams and informed the decision to sanction Rs 133 crore as a grant from central government.

The death toll has touched 75 with one fishermen’s dead body was recovered from Kozhikode coast. The government statistics indicate that 205 people are still stranded in the sea, who are yet to be rescued. But Lattin Church alleges that more than 250 people are still missing.