Monday, August 1 2005 21:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition L K Advani today (Aug 1, 2005) wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing disappointment over the "inadequate" Central aid of Rs 500 crore for flood-affected Maharashtra and demanding special financial package and insurance settlement scheme for the affected people.

Describing the Centre's immediate support as "totally inadequate", he said, "I feel that there is need to release financial resources to the affected people without any delay".

The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) President, who enclosed copies of two representation made by the state BJP unit to Finance Minister P Chidambaram, requested Singh to ask the Finance Ministry's Insurance Division to have special insurance settlement schemes for the victims.

"Special financial package including debt restructuring, financial assistance, interest-free loan should be extended to retail traders, hawkers, self-employed women, small workshops and others", said the former Deputy Prime Minister in the letter, copy of which was released to the media.

Demanding that donations contributed to NGOs working in relief be granted 100% exemption from Income Tax, he recalled that this was done during the Kutch earthquake.

In its memoranda, the state unit has demanded among other things immediate settlement of claims upto Rs one lakh and special financial package to small traders and others.