Goa CM distributes relief to Canacona flood victims

Chief minister Digambar Kamat on Saturday distributed relief to victims of Canacona flooding from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund at the Collectorate building, Margao in the presence of Canacona MLA Vijay Pai Khot and Poinguinim MLA Ramesh Tawadkar.

As per a government scheme, 372 persons were handed over a balance of the total of Rs 10,000, that is made available for damage due to flood water entering their premises. These people had already got a few thousand rupees from the disaster management authority and the remaining was provided from the CM’s relief fund for which a committee had been constituted.

Kamat also provided Rs 66.77 lakh to 43 persons who had desired to build their houses on their own after these were damaged in the floodwater. While some families had desired that they be handed over readymade houses, others wanted the funds to build them on their own. As per a norm, the government allocated Rs 2 lakh for houses that were 50 sq m or less in area, Rs 2.50 lakh for those between 50 and 100 sq m and Rs 3 lakh for houses of more than 100 sq m.

Meanwhile, the Canacona relief fund headed by a prominent Margao based builder, Sandip Poinguinkar, took up the task of building several houses from the money that they had under the relief fund. Former minister and senior Congress leader from Poinguinim constituency, Isidore Fernandes, said that for those houses that were being built by Canacona relief fund, the government would not provide the money. But, those families that wanted to build their houses were provided the money as obtained under the norms.