New Delhi: The much-needed financial help offered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is unlikely to reach Kerala, thanks to the central government's refusal to accept aid from foreign governments in times of calamity.

The UAE has offered about Rs 700 crore for Kerala to reconstruct the state after the devastation caused by the worst flood in a century. Qatar has promised about Rs 35 crore. Japan and the Maldives also promised financial help.

While the Kerala government welcomed the help, the central government said that the country had the financial might to deal with the natural calamity. The union government has granted Kerala Rs 600 crore as interim flood relief.

Sources said that while declining to accept the assistance, India is conveying its sincere appreciation to the foreign nations for their offers to help flood-affected people in Kerala. India is also informing the foreign governments offering assistance to Kerala that it has taken a considered decision to rely solely on domestic efforts to tide over the challenge.

In a tweet, Thailand's ambassador to India Chutintorn Sam Gongsakdi said Indian government has informed his country that it will not accept overseas donations for flood relief operations in Kerala.

Kerala is facing its worst floods in nearly a century that has killed hundreds of people, and forced over thousands out of their homes. The Centre has declared this calamity of 'severe nature'.

'No obstacles for accepting UAE aid'

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that initial estimates peg the loss of the state at Rs 20,000 crore, twice the amount earmarked for infrastructure development for the current financial year.

The Kerala government would approach prime minister Narendra Modi to clear hurdles, if any, in receiving the Rs 700-crore aid offered by the UAE.

The CM said there were no obstacles for accepting such assistance. "Donations from other countries are acceptable. Will approach the PM if required," he told reporters.

"It was natural that two countries help each other. The Disaster Management policy announced in 2016 makes it clear that if any national government of another country voluntarily offers assistance as a good will gesture in solidarity with the disaster victims, the central government may accept the offer," Pinarayi said.

The Congress in Kerala had also requested the PM to take steps to amend the rules after reports said that the Centre was unlikely to accept any foreign financial aid for flood relief work.

Since 2004...

India has not accepted financial help from other countries or foreign agencies since 2004. Several countries, including the US, had offered financial aid to India when Tsunami wreaked havoc along Tamil Nadu and Kerala coasts in 2004. The then prime minister Manmohan Singh had declared that India was capable of dealing with the crisis and would seek help from foreign nations only when deemed necessary. The government had adopted the same policy during the Uttarakhand floods in 2013.

India has been since following this policy, projecting itself as a donor rather than a recipient of aid. India had pledged $1 billion to Nepal after the 2015 earthquake. India had even given financial aid to Pakistan as floods battered the neighbouring country in 2010.

The Modi government does not intend to change the policy but said that foreign dignitaries were free to contribute to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund as individuals.

Shashi Tharoor MP has said that the United Nations was ready to contribute to the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts if the state government could convince the Union government to ask for it. The Congress MP said that he had talked to UN officials in Geneva.

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