A high-level delegation led by a Kerala minister will travel to various Middle East countries and other nations to source funds for rebuilding the state following last month’s devastating floods that have claimed 483 lives, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said yesterday.
The delegation will travel to the Middle East, the US, Australia, Germany and Canada, and along with the support of various Malayali organisation in these countries will seek funds for rebuilding the state, Vijayan told reporters.
Another delegation will travel within India and meet up with all the Kerala-based organisation to seek funds.
“Similarly a fund collection drive will also be conducted in all the 14 districts of the state and each district will be headed by a minister and it will take place between September 10 and 15,” Vijayan said.
“It has also been planned to launch a collection in all the educational institutions in the state and it would take place on September 11.” 
The chief minister also said KPMG has agreed to provide free consultancy service and would be the consultant partner for rebuilding Kerala.
“The Sabarimala temple town has come under a lot of damage and with the festival season beginning on November 17, it has been decided to hand over the restoration works to Tata Projects Ltd,” he added.
An interest-free loan of Rs100,000 would be given to those who wish to buy household appliances, he said.
Traders and others could avail themselves of a Rs1mn in advance, which will bear interest, as an arrangement with a bank consortium is being worked out.
The contribution to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund that began on August 15 has crossed Rs10bn.
Meanwhile Rs4.25mn was raised in a day-long online fundraiser auction by Mumbai-based art auction house Saffronart.
An official statement from Saffronart said the fund raised will be donated to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
The no-reserve online sale, having no buyer’s premium, saw “Indians from around the world coming together to bid generously on the 32 featured artworks by leading Indian modern and contemporary artists”, the statement said.
Some 1.45mn people are still staying in over 3,000 relief camps.
Meanwhile, authorities have issued an alert in two north-eastern states over flooding from a rain-swollen river that flows from China while evacuating hundreds of locals from low-lying areas.
Media reports said China had informed India that the water level of the Tsangpo river, as it is known in Tibet, had been rising in recent days.