Cyclone Nivar: 3 dead, over 10,000 shifted to relief shelters in Andhra's four most affected districts

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 27 (ANI): As many as three people died and over 10,000 people were shifted to relief shelters in the Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh after cyclone Nivar caused widespread devastation in the state and neighbouring areas.
Speaking at a cabinet briefing here, Andhra Pradesh Minister Kurasala Kannababu informed that about 283 centimeters of rainfall has been recorded in the districts, devastating 30,000 hectares of agricultural crops and 1,300 hectares of horticultural crops.
"Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has ordered for Rs 500 to be given to all the affected people in relief shelters. The Chief Minister also said that a complete remuneration of crop losses by December 15, which will be paid to the people by the 31st," Kannababu said.
Regarding the Polavaram project, Kannababu further said that the height of the project would not be reduced and it would be constructed according to the original designs.
"The cabinet has unanimously condemned the propaganda that the height of the Polavaram project will be reduced. The Chief Minister has clarified that the height of the project will not be decreased even a single centimeter and the project will be constructed according to the original designs. The CM suggested the ministers in the state to counter the malicious propaganda against the government in this regard," the minister said.
The cabinet also decided to clear Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, and approved the increase of DAs by 3.144 per cent, to be paid from January 2021. The government has also decided to clear the salaries and pensions stalled in March and April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in December and January successively.
Kannababu further said, "The state government's scheme of distributing house pattas to 30.6 lakh poor people on December 25 was also approved, and the construction of houses is to start on the same day. House pattas in legal issues will be distributed in the next phase of the scheme and sand will be freely provided to those houses. The government has set a target to complete construction of first phase houses by June 2022, along with infrastructure, drinking water and power facilities."
The Minister said that a decision has also been made to delink taxes of local bodies from AP CFMS (Comprehensive Financial Management System).
Additionally, the cabinet has decided to launch a free crop insurance scheme from December 15 for free insurance benefit to farmers, and the AP AMUL project on December 2 where bulk chilling centres will be developed in Prakasam, Chittoor and Kadapa districts, he added. (ANI)