Gujarat: Rs 29 crore flood insurance claims settled in Surat
Surat, July 18
The Gujarat government on Saturday said insurance claims worth Rs 29 crore have been approved for vehicle and property owners affected by the recent floods in Surat, while more than Rs 20 crore in direct relief has already been disbursed to affected residents as rehabilitation efforts continue.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi reviewed relief and rehabilitation measures at a coordination meeting at the Surat Circuit House and distributed claim settlement cheques to policyholders from flood-affected areas in the presence of Minister of State for Health, Praful Pansheriya.
The review followed heavy rainfall on July 6 and 7 that triggered flooding across parts of Surat, causing damage to homes, businesses and vehicles.
Addressing the meeting, Sanghavi said the state government, Surat Municipal Corporation and the district administration had worked together to provide immediate assistance to those affected.
"Surveys were launched immediately after the floods and relief was provided on a war footing. Cash assistance amounting to about Rs 5.50 crore has been distributed to 61,360 affected citizens, while household assistance worth Rs 14.82 crore has been provided to 29,642 families, taking the total relief disbursed to around Rs 20 crore," he said.
The municipal corporation has also carried out sanitation and public health measures in flood-affected areas.
Regarding insurance claims, Sanghavi said the government had coordinated with insurance companies to accelerate settlement following the disaster.
"Of the 5,287 insurance claims received, processing has already begun for 85 per cent. Claims worth Rs 29 crore have been approved, and cheques have been distributed to policyholders," he said.
He added that the state government had put in place a regular follow-up mechanism to ensure there was no delay in claim settlements and announced that another review meeting would be held after 15 days.
Sanghavi said insurance companies found to be slow in processing claims had been instructed to speed up their work within a week.
He said the District Collector had issued show-cause notices to seven insurance companies over unsatisfactory performance and warned of stricter action if delays continued.
"The state government has established a regular follow-up system to ensure there is no delay in settlement of insurance claims. Our approach is not merely to complete paperwork but to ensure result-oriented implementation so that beneficiaries receive their rightful assistance without any delay," he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said elected representatives, including Members of Parliament, MLAs, the Mayor and the Chairman of the Standing Committee, were monitoring relief efforts to ensure assistance reached all eligible beneficiaries.
During the meeting, the government also announced the launch of the 'Surat District Relief Package' online portal, which is intended to facilitate transparent processing of flood-related assistance.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's reassuring to see the government taking flood relief seriously. The online portal for 'Surat District Relief Package' is a smart move for transparency. Let's hope the 15-day review keeps the pressure on slow insurance companies. My family in Surat was affected, and every rupee counts. 🙏
Good to see coordination between state government, municipal corporation, and district administration. But I'm curious - why are 15% of claims still not processed? Also, show-cause notices to 7 insurance companies is a strong step. Let's see if stricter action follows if delays continue.
61,360 citizens getting cash assistance and 29,642 families receiving household aid - that's impressive reach. But Rs 5.50 crore for over 61,000 people works out to just Rs 900 per person. Hope that's enough for immediate relief. Still, kudos to the administration for acting fast after the July 6-7 floods.
Interesting to see how disaster management works in India. The emphasis on insurance claim processing and show-cause notices to slow insurers shows some accountability. But I wonder if the Rs 29 crore covers all losses, or if many affected people are still waiting.
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