Centre sends Rs 102 crore bill to Kerala for using IAF aircraft, choppers during flood relief ops

[manlion]

Centre sends Rs 102 crore bill to Kerala for using IAF aircraft, choppers during flood relief ops

Flood victims unload food and relief material from an Indian Air force helicopter at Nelliyampathy Village, in the southern state of Kerala. (Photo: Reuters)

The Centre has forwarded a bill of Rs 102 crore to the Kerala government for the use of Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters for flood relief operations in the state, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

In a written reply to a question in the Upper House, Minister of State in the Defence Ministry Subhash Bhamre said during Kerala floods, the IAF had carried out 517 sorties of Fixed Wing aircraft, airlifting 3,787 people and 1,350 tonnes of load, and 634 sorties of helicopters, winching 584 people and airlifting 247 tonnes of load.

"Bills of approximately Rs 102.6 crores have been forwarded to the Kerala Government for use of IAF aircraft / helicopters for Kerala Flood relief. The recoveries for providing services of IAF aircraft / helicopters are effected from the state government and the Administration of Union Territories," Bhamre said.

The Army and the Navy are also preparing details of expenditure with respect to assistance rendered in wake of the floods in Kerala, he said.

Heavy rains caused floods in large parts of Kerala in August last year, resulting in loss of human lives and property.

The assistance by armed forces to civil administration is governed by the "Instructions on aid to Civil Authority by the Armed Forces - 1970", wherein recovery of expenditure incurred by the forces in rendering such aid is specified, he said.

The armed forces compile the details of expenditure incurred and forward the same to the state government, Bhamre said.

"The bills duly scrutinised are forwarded by the state government to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for reimbursement," he added.

The armed forces were lauded by many, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for their efforts during the Kerala flood relief operations.

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/india...f4skUmpl0fNKP-b6HspxBlnMVCRJQaC2NsllUS1hBgaaQ

 

[lemurian]

http://www.thecbcnews.com/news/kera...ning-bill-for-kerala-flood-rescue-operations/

According to accounting rules of the govt., the government has to pay for numerous duties performed by military and additionally for numerous things used for such works. The govt. Accounting Rules, 1990 specified by the Controller General of Accounts says that state government has to pay for use of military for numerous activities like rescue operations in disasters, help taken for development activities etc.

Just for taking help of military within the maintenance of law and order, the government need not pay. Appendix five of the rules give the detail of this procedure.

The defence budget provides for defence connected activities of the military, so for any non-defence use of the forces, it’s to be paid from the civilian budget. that’s a normal procedure being followed, and not something the Modi government has specifically done for Kerala floods.

Though theoretically, the state government should pay for it, in most cases it comes from the central government. While allocating relief package for a state after such a disaster, the cost of preparation of military is factored in that package.

At the time of disbursement of the money to the state, this amount is subtracted. This suggests the state is really not paying from its funds, However it’s paid from the grant received from the central government. This is often essentially a book adjustment done by the Centre, as the amount is directly paid to the relevant armed force by the union government.

This is not the first time the central government returning under fire for this ‘billing’, this happened after most disasters involving rescue operations by defence forces. In 2015, the centre had sent a bill of ₹500 crore to Jammu and Kashmir for services provided by defence forces throughout the devastating floods within the state in 2014. After this was reported by media, it had created the same outrage.

Defence ministry sending a bill to states for use of defence forces for non-defence functions is a routine accounting procedure as per established law, and it doesn’t reflect any bias against any state as political parties and section of media are attempting to portray.

 

[manlion]

Kerala fishermen, should also send their bill to Kerala government

Why flood-battered Kerala is hailing its fishermen as superheroes

Kerala floods: Hundreds of fishermen reached out to the worst-affected areas from far-flung places, spending their own money to transport their mechanised boats and fuel in trucks.

Take for instance the fishermen who have emerged as the unsung heroes during the floods in Kerala. Braving inclement weather and treacherous waters, hundreds of fishermen helped rescue thousands of people marooned across the affected areas. Their grit and experience in turbulent waters helped facilitate the rescue operations carried out by security forces and NDRF in areas where air lifting was not even feasible or just not available.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-floods-fishermen-relief-rescue-operation-5317511/

 

[third eye]

Nothing wrong , what the point of this thread ?

 

[Mustang06]

Nothing wrong , what the point of this thread ?

Looking at the past thread opened by this guy, i believe it'll uneducated North Indian harassing educated South Indian states. South India banega Pakistan?

 

[manlion]

poor Kerala deprived of foreign aid, which could have cut down on cost of the bill ..

India declines foreign aid for Kerala flood relief
Many foreign governments offered aid, assistance and technical support to help the state of Kerala deal with the crisis.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/sto...eign-aid-for-kerala-relief-1320251-2018-08-22

 

[Soumitra]

Just a normal accounting procedure. No one has to pay this bill. But who can explain to people who think of conspiracy theories every minute

 

[ranjeet]

Gerala hasn't received money from UAE already?

 

[WarKa DaNG]

Did PA, PAF, PN also forwarded their expenditures bills to KP, Sindh, GB, Balochistan and Punjab during the floods and earthquakes