CM urges swift Central aid as losses reach Rs. 6,384 cr

 Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged the Central team visiting Andhra Pradesh to expedite its report on the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Montha and recommend immediate assistance to the state.

The Chief Minister, who met the delegation led by Union home ministry joint secretary Pasumi Basu at his camp office, said the cyclone had inflicted total losses of Rs 6,384 crore across multiple sectors, including housing, infrastructure, agriculture, aquaculture, and handloom.

During the meeting, Naidu detailed the scale of destruction, noting that 3,109 villages in 443 mandals were affected, impacting nearly 10 lakh people. The government’s presentation revealed that 9,960 houses were submerged and 4,566 houses damaged, leaving 1.11 lakh families homeless. Crop losses were reported in 1.61 lakh hectares, affecting 3.27 lakh farmers, while aquaculture and animal husbandry sectors also suffered heavy damage.

Infrastructure losses were equally severe, 4,794 km of roads were damaged, 12,856 electricity poles uprooted, and 2,318 power transformers destroyed. The government informed the team that 1.92 lakh people across 22 districts were relocated to relief camps, with Rs 3,000 in immediate financial relief distributed to 3.36 lakh families. The state requested Rs 2,622 crore in immediate Central assistance to restore roads, power, and other essential infrastructure.

The Chief Minister stressed the need for quick support, noting that Andhra Pradesh would send final estimates within two days. “Since the team has seen the situation firsthand, I request that your report and recommendations reach the Centre quickly so that help arrives without delay,” Naidu said.

Praising the state’s disaster response, the Central team commended the government’s early warnings through RTGS (Real-Time Governance System), which they said had helped save lives. They acknowledged that pregnant women were moved to safety in advance and medical teams were deployed promptly. “Early alerts and timely evacuation significantly minimized loss of life and property,” the team observed during its field assessment.

Naidu also urged the Centre to consider amendments to procurement rules for paddy damaged by soaking and pointed to severe losses suffered by cotton farmers. He said that the combined impact of state bifurcation and the previous regime’s “destructive governance” had weakened Andhra Pradesh’s disaster management capacity, adding that State disaster funds were diverted and Central schemes discontinued during that period. “We are now working to correct the gaps and strengthen institutional resilience,” he said.

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s vulnerability to recurring cyclones along the east coast, the Chief Minister asked for Central assistance to fund sea erosion prevention works under the Coastal Sea Erosion Mitigation Project. He sought Rs 323 crore for Uppada (Kakinada), Rs 203 crore for Visakhapatnam, and Rs 98 crore for Srikakulam.

The state also requested Rs 11.77 crore for lightning warning and arrester systems and Rs 18.48 crore for forest fire prevention infrastructure. Naidu explained that flood control technologies such as Aware and RTGS have reduced casualties, but additional support is needed to mitigate long-term coastal damage.

Chief secretary K Vijayanand and senior officials from the revenue, agriculture, water resources, finance and RTGS departments participated in the meeting.