Almost 56 lakh people were affected by the flood statewide. (File)
Guwahati:
The Center will soon release Rs 346 crore as an initial amount to deal with the flood situation in Assam, which has so far affected 56 lakh in the northeastern state, an official statement said on Wednesday.
Union Minister Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had a detailed discussion with Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal on the flood situation in the state through a video conference during from which he conveyed the decision, he said.
Mr Sonowal briefed Shekhawat on the extent of the devastation caused by the current wave of flooding, as well as erosion, in the state and the various actions his government is taking to deal with the situation.
“To effectively manage the relief and rehabilitation works, Union Minister Jal Shakti assured that an amount of Rs 346 crore will be immediately released from his ministry to the government of Assam as the first installment under of the flood management program (FMP), “the statement said. said.
Shekhawat urged Sonowal to send more proposals for sanctions under the Disaster Risk Management Fund, which will allow the state government to receive more funds from the Center, he added.
“The Chief Minister also called on the Union Minister to allocate funds to the state government to reinforce 5,000 km of embankments built since 1951 in the state, which will now be transformed into embankments,” the statement said. .
As a result, Shekhawat urged the chief minister to send a letter stating the same so that the Union Ministry can incorporate the proposals into next year’s plan, he said.
The opposition Congress and AIUDF attacked the BJP-led government at the Center for allegedly neglecting the state’s flood situation by failing to release funds announced earlier to deal with the perennial problem.
Sonowal also urged Shekhawat to address the issue of Bhutan’s floodwaters flooding large areas of Lower Assam every year, to which the minister responded favorably.
“The central government will soon initiate discussions with the government of Bhutan on this matter so that permanent solutions can be found,” the CMO statement said.
During the monsoon, the discharge of excess water from dams in Bhutan leads to flooding in areas downstream of all districts of Bas Assam, especially Barpeta, Nalbari and Kokrajhar.
Mr. Shekhawat also stressed the need to adopt the latest technologies in flood management and ensured all the help of his ministry to find sustainable solutions to the flood and erosion problems in the state, added the press release.
Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, ASDMA Director General M S Manivannan and Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Lohia, along with other officials, were present during the video conference.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 115 people have lost their lives in floods and landslides so far this year – 89 have been killed in flood-related incidents and 26 died from landslides.
The flood situation in Assam deteriorated and two more people lost their lives, even as more than 26 lakh remained affected in 26 districts. Cumulatively, nearly 56 lakh people have been affected by the flood across the state this year, ASDMA said.
