July 31, 2024
Saket Gokhale’s speech during the Calling Attention Motion on the floods in Kerala
Sir, I first wish to thank you for constructively taking the suggestion of the Opposition and allowing this Calling Attention Motion. This week we have had one Calling Attention, we have had one Short Duration Discussion and I fervently hope that this positive trend continues in the weeks to come. Sir, first, I would like to start by paying my condolences to the families of all those who have been affected by this horrible disaster in Wayanad and prayers for the ones who are still trapped, who are still being rescued. I also wish to extend my prayers to our brave security forces who are working in extremely difficult conditions and trying to save lives. Sir, I have three very specific questions for the hon. Home Minister to respond to in the context of this horrendous natural disaster which has happened in Kerala, which we have also seen happening in other States in the past. Sir, for the State Disaster Relief Fund, the SDRF, the quota of allocation is that 25 per cent of the funds are contributed by the State Government. However, unfortunately, the State Government has discretion on spending only 10 per cent of those funds if the Ministry of Home Affairs has not declared it as a natural disaster. Sir, my specific question is: Will the Government consider and approve a proposal for allowing States, at least, 25 per cent of discretion on the SDRF funds? They are contributing 25 per cent. It is the money of the people of the State. Can the State use it for the State itself? That should be allowed. That is question number one. Question No. 2, in this Union Budget, we saw the Finance Minister talk about five States in terms of flood relief. West Bengal, my State, was very specifically excluded from that despite the fact that we have had devastating floods in West Bengal. But nothing was given to West Bengal. Sir, this disaster has now happened in Kerala which, as a lot of hon. Members have said before me, should be considered a natural disaster. Since the Union Budget is still under consideration right now, my specific question is: Will the Union Government, at least, now think about adding West Bengal and Kerala to the list of States that should be getting flood relief? My third point is that in the last several years we have stopped seeing the Prime Minister doing aerial surveys. He used to do that once upon a time. He doesn’t do it anymore, be it Assam, Bengal or Kerala. When the Prime Minister does an aerial survey, it sends a lot of confidence to the people and it makes them feel that they are being cared about. Will the Prime Minister, at least, now stop posing for happy photos and actually come out and go to the disaster area and do an aerial survey there in Kerala?
