Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday announced a comprehensive relief package for families affected by the ongoing monsoon, including enhanced compensation for loss of life, houses, property and crops, besides a soft loan scheme for MSMEs and financial assistance for flood-hit households.

Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting here, Satheesan said 26 people have lost their lives in monsoon-related incidents so far, while 11 have been injured and four others remain missing.

A total of 462 relief camps are currently functioning across the state, sheltering 27,048 people displaced by heavy rain, floods and landslides, he said.

The highest number of relief camps are in Pathanamthitta (157), followed by Kottayam (154) and Alappuzha (81), while the remaining districts have fewer than 10 camps each.

The chief minister said crop damage has been reported in 1,882 hectares of farmland, affecting 23,537 farmers. The preliminary estimate of agricultural loss stands at Rs 67.44 crore and is expected to increase after the final assessment.

"The Cabinet approved a compensation package of Rs 8 lakh for the families of those who died in the disaster. The amount includes Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) and Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF)," Satheesan said.

In addition, the government has sanctioned Rs 10,000 towards funeral expenses for each deceased person's family.

Families whose houses or shops were inundated by floodwaters will receive Rs 10,000 each after officials verify the damage, irrespective of whether they stayed in relief camps, he said.

The government also decided to provide daily assistance of Rs 300 each to up to two members covered under a ration card in flood-affected households.

Families forced to vacate their homes because of flooding and unable to return immediately will be provided house rent assistance until their homes become habitable or alternative accommodation is arranged.

Compensation for houses that were completely destroyed has been enhanced from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

For families that lost both their house and land in landslide or land-slip areas where reconstruction is not feasible, financial assistance has been increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.

The Cabinet also decided to increase compensation for crop losses by 25 per cent, with the additional amount to be borne by the state government.

To support economic revival, the government will introduce a soft loan scheme for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), under which loans of up to Rs 12 lakh will be made available through three concessional options.

In the first option, the government will provide banks with margin money of up to Rs 3 lakh or 25 per cent of the loan amount.

Under the second option, it will bear nine per cent interest on loans for five years for borrowers who do not require margin money.

The third option covers those who had recently taken loans but defaulted on repayments, with the government paying nine per cent interest to banks for five years.

The scheme will cover traders, industrial enterprises, dairy farmers, beekeepers, owners of tourism and commercial vehicles and so on, the chief minister said.

Satheesan also announced that sea walls would be constructed along vulnerable coastal stretches and geobags provided as part of coastal protection measures.

The government will also launch a new housing scheme for fishermen, 'Punargeham', with enhanced financial assistance and addressing the complaints regarding the existing programme, he said.

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He said the Cabinet also approved financial assistance from the CMDRF for the remaining 248 beneficiaries whose houses were destroyed in the 2024 southwest monsoon and landslides in Thrissur district but are yet to receive aid.