New Delhi Aug 21 (IANS) Finance Coal and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the relief material coming from foreign countries for distribution in flood-ravaged Kerala have been exempted from the customs duty and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
"The government is committed to help Kerala in this time of devastation " Goyal told the media here.
"...we have made all the relief materials coming from foreign countries for the Kerala flood relief exempt from customs duty as well as GST " he said.
On August 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 500-crore financial assistance to the state.
Earlier Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to state also announced a financial assistance of Rs 100 crore.
Following the devastating floods over one million people are now sheltered in 3 274 relief camps in the state. The death toll during this monsoon season is estimated at around 370.

--IANS aks/nir