Assam: Flood Situation Improves, Govt Gives Grants for Repair Work

Assam’s flood situation improved further on Wednesday with the water level of all the major rivers as well their tributaries showing a receding trend

(Photo: PTI)

Assam’s flood situation saw further improvement on Wednesday, 31 July, with the water level of all the major rivers and their tributaries showing a receding trend and no deaths having been reported in the previous 24 hours.

A population of 5,18,623 in 691 villages in 26 revenue circles of 12 districts are currently affected by the inundation, according to a bulletin of Assam State Disaster Management Agency (ASDMA).

The death toll is at 86 with 374 relief camps operational.

The government has decided to to start a grant programme for permanent repair of properties like roads and embankments damaged by floods this year, the Assembly was informed on Wednesday.

How Will the Grant Help?

The Flood Damage Repairing Grant will be given to the affected districts in addition to the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

In the case of SDRF, the Central and the state governments share 90 and 10 percent respectively to repair only the damaged part of a property.

The grant will be used to repair the weak parts around the damaged area of a property so that the entire structure becomes stronger and does not lead to fresh damage, the minister said.

The grant will come from the state exchequer, he said.

The water resources department will be allocated Rs 500 crore, the minister said.

Of this amount, Rs 200 crore will be given initially and Rs 300 crore will be provided before March next year.

The current wave of floods has damaged 32 embankments across the state, he added.

The public works department has been allocated Rs 300 crore to repair roads and bridges damaged by the floodwater.

The Health and Family Welfare and Power departments have been allocated Rs 40 crore each, the Agriculture Department Rs 35 crore, the Public Health and Engineering Department Rs 30 crore and the Social Welfare Department Rs 4 crore.

Sarma said the deputy commissioners will be directed to provide immediate relief to people who have faced property loss in the current floods.

The minister placed the supplementary demand of Rs 7580.51 crore before the House for its approval.

(With Inputs from PTI)