The Andhra Pradesh government will seek a financial assistance of Rs 317 crore from the Centre for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the coastal districts affected by Sunday's tsunami.
Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy told newspersons after a high-level review meeting on Thursday that a memorandum in this regard would be submitted to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state on Friday.
The PM will arrive at Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada at 1430 IST. He will interact with affected families and disburse assistance from the PM's Relief Fund to them.
He will then survey the devastation caused by the tsunami in the nine coastal districts of the state.
Singh will also hold a review meeting with the CM and other ministers and senior officials before returning to Delhi.
Dr Rajasekhara Reddy said of the Rs 317-crore assistance being sought by the state, about Rs 160 crore would be required for construction of 40,000 pucca houses for fishermen's families in the coastal districts. Another Rs 50 crore would be needed for provision of potable drinking water and Rs 42 crore for construction of roads.
He said the government proposed to rehabilitate all affected fishermen by providing them financial assistance of Rs 60 crore for procuring new boats and nets and other equipment and Rs five crore under the food-for-work programme.
