The Centre on Monday told Parliament that it had billed Kerala Rs 102 crore for the use of Indian Air Force planes and helicopters for flood relief operations in the state last year, PTI reported.

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, said the Army and Navy are preparing details about the expenditure for assistance in the flood.

The minister said the Air Force used their planes to conduct 517 sorties, airlift 3,787 people and 1,350 tonnes of cargo. The Air Force used its helicopters to conduct 634 sorties of helicopters and take 584 people and airlift 247 tonnes of goods.

“Bills of approximately Rs 102.6 crore have been forwarded to the Kerala Government for use of IAF aircraft/helicopters for Kerala flood relief,” Bhambre said.

In November 2018, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Legislative Assembly that the Centre had sought Rs 290.74 crore from the state as compensation for launching aircraft that helped in rescue and relief operations during the floods in August.

Bhambre said the procedure is governed by the “instructions on aid to civil authority by the armed forces, 1970”. “The bills duly scrutinised are forwarded by the state government to the Ministry of Home Affairs for reimbursement,” he said.