The Andhra Pradesh government has sought assistance of Rs 1,169 crore from the central government for taking up interim and permanent measures in the flood-affected areas of the state.

The figure includes Rs 519 crore for immediate relief and another Rs 650 crore for flood protection works on Godavari River to prevent the recurrence of floods in north Telangana and Godavari delta.

The request of the state government was conveyed by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy to Congress president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi [Images] during her visit to flood-affected areas on Wednesday.

In an interim memorandum submitted to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, the chief minister informed that 5,680 villages in 16 districts were affected by heavy rains and floods. In all, 2.61 lakh families were affected with the number of deaths hovering around 106.

According to sources, Sonia told the chief minister while coming to the city in the helicopter after visiting the flood-affected areas that there was imperative need for completing irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers to check the recurrence of floods. She assured that she would speak to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] in this regard.

Sonia also directed that permanent works needed to be taken up immediately and all possible efforts be made to complete these works before the onset of the next monsoon season.