Kerala govt criticises Centre's negative approach to Wayanad rehabilitation

The Kerala government on Sunday continued to express its displeasure over the delay in central assistance to landslide-hit Wayanad and said the union government was yet to announce the category in which the disaster is classified. Revenue Minister K Rajan said 100 days have passed since the massive landslides rocked the hamlets of Wayanad, but the state was yet to receive any assistance from the union government for its rehabilitation. The "negative approach" adopted by the Centre in terms of the rehabilitation of Wayanad was 'painful' for the state, he told reporters here. The state government has raised demands for central assistance several times. "What Kerala wants is not the amount from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)...What we want is a special package for Wayanad," Rajan said. Noting that the state had already submitted a memorandum to the Centre in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, the minister said the union government is now talking only about the amou