The Indian Air Force has forwarded a bill of Rs 102.6 crore to the Kerala government for carrying out rescue operations during the catastrophic floods
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued over 4,300 stranded people and brought them to a safer place during the Kerala floods in August last year, the government revealed on Monday.
Minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha that 4,304 people were rescued during the Kerala floods. The IAF carried out 517 sorties of fixed-wing aircraft, airlifting 3,787 people and 1,350 tonnes of load. Six hundred and thirty four sorties were made by helicopters, winching 584 people and airlifting 247 tonnes of load.
The IAF has forwarded a bill of Rs 102.6 crore to the Kerala government for carrying out rescue operations during the catastrophic floods.
Bhamre wrote in his reply in Parliament that the recoveries for providing services of IAF aircraft and helicopters are borne by the state government and the administration of Union Territories.
The assistance by the armed forces to the civil administration is governed by the Instructions on Aid to Civil Authority by the Armed Forces, 1970 wherein recovery of expenditure incurred by the armed forces in aid of the civil administration is specified.
The armed forces compile the details of expenditure incurred and forward the same to the state government. The bills duly scrutinised are forwarded by the state government to the Union home ministry for reimbursement.
The Army and Navy are also preparing details of expenditure with respect to assistance rendered in the wake of the Kerala floods.
Earlier, a senior official of the Kerala government said that the state sought an assistance of Rs 5,616 crore through two memoranda and Rs 2,000 crore as an emergency fund. But the Centre has allocated only Rs 600 crore as an emergency fund.
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