Kerala floods: Centre denies permission for state ministers to go abroad for fund-raising

On Wednesday, the central government denied permission for the scheduled visit of Kerala ministers to 17 countries. The Minister’s visit was to mobilise funds from Malyali diaspora for flood relief work.

According to an official at the CM’s office, the centre has refused permission for the ministers’ foreign trip. “The central government has approved the foreign visit of the chief minister alone,” the official added. The official further noted that the Chief Minister is expected to be back by October 21.

Notably, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and 17 ministers of the state were scheduled to leave for some of the Gulf countries on Wednesday, as part of the efforts to mobilise funds from Malyali diaspora. Vijayan, on October 3, said that each minister would visit various countries from October 17 to 21, including in the Gulf and Europe.

Importantly, Kerala had suffered huge damage in the torrential rains that lashed the state in last August, claiming 493 lives and leaving a trail of destruction. Last month, the LDF government had decided to raise Rs 15,900 crore — as loan — from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other funding agencies to rebuild the prime sectors of the state.

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