The German government has offered help in the form of grants, loans at low rates of interest and by participating in specific projects to rebuild Kerala, which was devastated after the worst ever floods in August, a diplomat said today.
Addressing the media, Martin Ney, the German Ambassador to India, said Germany was ready to support the state by contributing to the "Rebuild Kerala" initiative.
"We have had talks with the Centre and have offered to provide up to Rs. 720 crore under low interest loans to promote climate-resilient reconstruction of bridges and roads in Kerala," Mr Ney said.
"Along with this, we will extend a Rs. 24 crore grant for technical support that will provide international expertise in the field of infrastructure planning.
"The support for infrastructure development will be through the German Development Bank KfW, who will ink an agreement with the Kerala government," the diplomat added.
He said the talks with the Centre took place in Delhi last week when they decided to include Kerala in discussions about 190 different projects that Germany was supporting in various states.
On future projects in Kerala, the German government is also working on a study on floating solar sites at two dams in the state.
"That study is in its last stages and in addition to it, they will be offering their support to the state's solar rooftop programme that is currently being prepared. Our support will come in the form of finances at concessional rates," Mr Ney said.
"The other programme is a Rs. 40 crore grant funded project that will be done at selected 43 places which will help reduce vulnerability to climate change of small farmers through watershed development projects."
Centre Announces Rs 3,048 Crore Flood Relief Fund For Kerala Kerala To Pursue Legal Steps To Avail Foreign Aid, Says Pinarayi Vijayan High Court Seeks Clarification From Kerala Government On Flood Fund Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Rahul Gandhi's Seat At Red Fort Triggers Fresh Congress Attack On BJP Left, BJP, Creating Unrest: Mamata Banerjee On Midnight Attack At Hospital 'Don't Club Us With Others,' Says Manipur's Thadou Tribe, Waits For Peace Plan More Monkey Pox Cases Likely To Hit Europe Soon, Says WHO Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.