Telangana Seeks Rs 16,732 Crore in Central Aid for Flood Relief

 Hyderabad: The state government has sought financial assistance of Rs 16,732 crore from the Centre for flood relief and rehabilitation measures in districts devastated by heavy rain and floods, putting the death toll at 22. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao met Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday and submitted a detailed report, placing preliminary losses at Rs 5,018 crore on account of recent heavy rain and floods.

The ministers pointed out that last year (2024) when the state was similarly affected, the state government had sought Rs 11,713 crore for flood damages in Khammam and surrounding districts but, except for routine allocations, no special funds were released. They urged that both last year’s pending request of Rs 11,713 crore and the present requirement of Rs 5,018 crore be cleared immediately to enable comprehensive rehabilitation works.

The Telangana delegation appealed to the Union home minister to recognise the situation as a national disaster, stressing that large-scale relief and rehabilitation cannot be managed by state resources alone. They requested that a Central team be deputed immediately to survey the affected areas and recommend adequate financial support.

Responding to the appeal, Amit Shah assured the ministers that an inter-ministerial central team would visit Telangana to assess the damage and submit its report.

The delegation, which also included A.P. Jithender, special representative of the Telangana government in Delhi, and senior officials, explained that from August 25 to 28, unprecedented rain had lashed several parts of the state. Kamareddy, Medak, Nirmal, and Nizamabad districts were particularly battered, resulting in widespread inundation, crop destruction, property loss, and infrastructural damage.

Senior officials including Arvind Kumar, special chief secretary (revenue and disaster management), Sandeep Kumar Sultania, principal secretary, finance, M. Raghunandan Rao, secretary, agriculture, and Dr Gaurav Uppal, secretary (coordination, Central Projects and CSS), were present.

Damage report

Data from the state government’s report submitted to Union home minister Amit Shah

Overall, rainfall has been 25 per cent above normal

Eight districts recorded between 65 and 95 per cent excess rain.

Continuous downpours left a trail of destruction.

Death toll in rain and floods placed at 22.

Losses to livestock, houses, and standing crops are still under assessment.

In the last 72 hours, extensive damage has been reported to roads, railway lines, culverts, electric poles, transformers, and public utilities, crippling normal life across flood-hit districts.

Preliminary departmental estimates put the cumulative damage at Rs 5,018.72 crore.

Damage sustained include:

Rs 785.59 crore to roads and buildings.

Rs 655.70 crore to irrigation projects.

Rs 377.43 crore to panchayat raj and rural development.

Rs 236 crore worth of crop loss.

Rs 1,025 crore under municipal administration.

Rs 40.73 crore to power infrastructure.

Sectors such as housing, animal husbandry, women and child welfare, and medical and health services account for the remaining losses.

Rs 1,500 crore required for emergency repairs.

Final damage estimates may be higher.