Assam: Tarun Gogoi slams PM Modi for not releasing fund announced in 2017 for flood

Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on August 1^st, 2020 accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not releasing a single penny of the aid announced in 2017 for the flood which creates havoc every year.

“While PM Modi visited flood affected areas of Assam on August 1^st, 2017, he announced to release Rs. 250 crore for flood, Rs. 400 crore for erosion, Rs 100 crore to study flood and erosion. Unfortunately, not a single rupee has been released to date,” the senior Congress leader said.

Gogoi accused the PM of not fulfilling the promises made before the election.

Meanwhile, for an effective management of relief and rehabilitation works, the Centre on July 22nd, 2020 assured a Rs 346 crore package for the devastating flood that continues to wreak havoc in Assam. This would be the first installment to be released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti under Flood Management Programme (FMP).

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has urged to send more proposals for sanctioning under Disaster Risk Management Fund which would enable the State Government to receive more funds from Central Government for flood and erosion.”

CM Sonowal also appealed the Union Minister to allocate funds to the state government to strengthen 5000 kms of embankments built since 1951 in the state, which would now be turned into road cum embankments. The Union Jal Shakti Minister urged the Chief Minister to send a letter stating the same and his ministry would incorporate those proposals in the next year’s plan.

Also read: Assam: 40-member committee to prepare blueprint by Dec 31 to implement new education policy

Flood situation in Assam

The ravaging annual floods have claimed a total of 109 lives so far in Assam. A total of 21 districts are reeling under floodwaters, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority.

A total of 10,82,504 people and 82,947 hectares of cropland across 1366 villages have been affected by the flood. So far 3,27,442 big animals, 1,51,431 small animals and 2,76,697 poultry are also affected.

Several rivers including the mighty Brahmaputra in different parts of Assam are flowing above danger level, causing floods and consequently leaving thousands of families homeless.

The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger level at Neematighat in Jorhat and Dhubri. Jia Dharali at NT Road Crossing and Kopili at Nagaon and Dhansiri at Numaligarh.

As per the latest data, the flood-affected districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Karbi-Anglong and Cachar. A total of 137 relief camps have been installed. In the relief camps, there are so far 26,161 people.

Meanwhile, the Kaziranga National park in Assam is badly affected with 55% area submerged and according to Forest department report, a total of 145 animals have died in this flood season and 169 animal have been rescued. 80 animals have died from drowning, 20 have died from vehicle hits and 17 died under treatment.

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