Lucknow: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday assured residents of flood-hit Faizullaganj that there would be no shortage of funds for relief work. He said efforts were being made to begin construction of a proposed embankment from IIM Road to Faizullaganj at a cost of Rs 182 crore, at the earliest to provide a permanent solution to recurring floods in the area.“Every effort will be made to ensure that affected families receive relief and that Faizullaganj is freed from the threat of flooding,” Singh, who is also Lucknow’s MP, said during his visit to the area as part of his three-day stay in the city.Singh visited Faizullaganj to assess the flood situation, interact with affected families and review relief and rescue operations. He also distributed relief material among more than 400 families at Allunagar Diguria Chauraha on IIM Road. The kits contained essential household items, medicines, vegetables and other necessities.He directed local MLA Neeraj Bora to ensure that no needy family was left out of the relief drive. Additional relief kits would be provided if required, he said, adding that organisations, including Akshaya Patra, were also assisting affected families.He said govt representatives, the administration, public representatives and social organisations were working together to assist flood-affected people. He stressed that there would be no negligence in relief efforts. He added that 10,000 additional ration kits would be delivered door to door, while Akshaya Patra Foundation would provide another 10,000 relief packets.Meanwhile, deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said relief operations had been continuing in the affected areas on Singh’s directions. He said the defence minister had personally reviewed the situation and spoken to chief minister Yogi Adityanath about finding a permanent solution to the flooding problem.Pathak said medical camps were operational in the area and that the chief medical officer was monitoring the situation along with teams of doctors. He added that Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the district administration had been directed to expedite water drainage using pumping sets and clear mud and debris from lanes and adjoining areas.BJP Lucknow Mahanagar president Anand Dwivedi and MLA Neeraj Bora were among those present during the visit.
