New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (NationPress) Over a year after the catastrophic landslides impacted Wayanad, the Centre has on Wednesday approved its inaugural dedicated financial aid for the district’s reconstruction efforts.

A High-Level Committee led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given the green light for Rs 260.56 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), in response to Kerala’s request for Rs 2,221 crore.

This funding is earmarked for restoring areas devastated by the landslides that occurred in July 2023 in Mundakkai and Chooralmala.

The disaster on July 30, 2024, obliterated four villages, left hundreds injured, resulted in over 200 fatalities, and saw 32 individuals still unaccounted for.

The approval follows 14 months of persistent appeals from the state government and its representatives.

However, the Centre’s support comprises merely 11 percent of the requested funds via the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA).

The committee also allocated a total of Rs 4,645.60 crore for nine different states.

This decision has sparked comparisons and criticism, particularly since Assam, governed by the BJP, received a significantly larger aid package of Rs 1,270.78 crore after its 2022 landslides.

Earlier, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were awarded Rs 1,658.17 crore and Rs 2,006.40 crore, respectively.

Previously, Kerala was allocated Rs 529.50 crore as a loan for disaster relief and an additional Rs 153 crore in July this year.

State leaders have consistently advocated for a special financial package dedicated to Wayanad’s recovery.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a group of UDF MPs, including Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, met with Amit Shah to emphasize this need.

Despite these efforts, no substantial announcement had been made until now.

Both the ruling Left and the opposition Congress have criticized the Centre for overlooking Wayanad's situation, despite the Prime Minister's visit to the area following the disaster.

With this new sanction, the state government is anticipated to commence the next phase of reconstruction, though calls for a more substantial package to fully rehabilitate Wayanad continue to grow.

Notably, in March of this year, as part of the state’s Wayanad rehabilitation initiative, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan laid the cornerstone for a project aimed at providing 1,000 sq-ft homes on seven cents of land to 402 selected beneficiaries.

During this event, CM Vijayan criticized the Union government for not providing sufficient disaster relief, as the state had received no Central support and was reliant solely on loans that require repayment.