'No lack of clarity on UAE aid,' says Kerala CM Vijayan; hopes Centre to accept offer

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday maintained that there was no lack of clarity on UAE aid for the flood-ravaged state. He hoped the Centre would accept the "offer" of Rs 700 crore, news agency PTI reported.

CM Vijayan said NRI businessman MA Yusfuf Ali had informed him about the aid. The UAE aid was communicated to Ali when he had met the crown prince to convey Bakrid greetings, the Chief Minister noted.

"When I asked him whether it could be made public, he said there is no problem in it," Vijayan told media on Friday.

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Vijayan said the issue whether or not to accept the aid was a matter to be decided by the Centre.

"I hope that this will be accepted," Vijayan added.

Officials in the UAE embassy in New Delhi said no specific amount for financial aid to flood-ravaged Kerala was finalised officially by the United Arab Emirates and there was no announcement on donation to the state.

UAE ambassador Ahmed Albannam, without mentioning financial aid, said his government only set up a national emergency committee to provide relief assistance to people affected by flash floods in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the central government has clarified that it won't be accepting any foreign financial aid and would rather assist relief and rehabilitation work in Kerala with the help of domestic measures.

Kerala, which faced the worst floods and rainfall in its history in nearly 100 years, received a respite from unabated torrential rainfall this Monday. State authorities reported floodwaters receding across the state with rehabilitation work in full swing.

Although lakhs of people have returned home, there are still about 8.69 lakh people in 2287 relief camps across the state, officials said.

The destructive deluge in Kerala claimed nearly 400 lives this monsoon season rendering over 10 lakh displaced and homeless, taking shelter in over 5,000 relief camps across the state.

The estimated loss to the state has amounted to over Rs 21,000 crore. Cochin International Airport is expected to resume operations from August 29.