3 weeks ago
Assam may need over Rs 1,000 crore for flood rehabilitation
Heavy rain and overflowing rivers caused big floods in a part of India called Assam.
More than 1.12 lakh people, which is a very large number, were affected.
The floods were mostly caused by the Dikhow river, along with the Dhansiri and Dorika rivers, which feed into the big Brahmaputra river.
Many homes, roads and small child-care centres called Anganwadis were damaged.
The leader of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said fixing the damage and helping people may cost more than Rs 1,000 crore.
To find out what people need, workers are visiting families and writing down how badly their homes were damaged; so far they have checked more than 8,000 families.
Families have already received Rs 15,000 each, and more payments are coming.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that the central government will help pay for everything.
The government is rebuilding 494 Anganwadi centres, planning new houses for badly hit villages, and talking to the National Dairy Development Board about giving families cattle and milk-processing facilities.
It is also watching closely to make sure money raised by YouTubers reaches the people affected by the floods.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said more than Rs 1,000 crore may be required to repair flood-damaged properties and rehabilitate affected people in Assam.
A rapid relief assessment drive launched on August 9 has assessed over 8,000 families; damage is estimated at Rs 150 crore in one report and nearly Rs 200 crore in another.
The assessment, expected to cover 50,000-60,000 families in Upper Assam by August 30, will be followed by a first verification expected to be completed by September 15.
More than 1.12 lakh people are affected across four districts; 64,891 families have received Rs 15,000 each and another 31,212 families are due to receive aid.
Only 319 of nearly 2.08 lakh eligible borrowers applied for the loan moratorium, and of 703 insurance claims filed in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat, 176 have been settled.
- Who
- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, leading the relief and rehabilitation effort, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring full assistance from the Centre.
- What
- More than Rs 1,000 crore may be required to repair flood-damaged properties and rehabilitate affected people; a multi-stage damage assessment, model housing plans and Anganwadi rebuilding are under way.
- Where
- Assam, particularly the Upper Assam districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo, where in areas such as Nepalikhuti, Majgaon and Kamal Chapori nearly every house was damaged.
- When
- Sarma addressed a press conference in Guwahati on Wednesday, August 12; the rapid relief assessment drive runs from August 9 to August 30, with a first verification expected by September 15 and a final survey by September.
- Why
- The floods, which affected more than 1.12 lakh people, were primarily caused by the Dikhow river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, along with the Dhansiri and Dorika rivers; the state plans to focus more on the Brahmaputra's tributaries and on hydro projects in Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh.
Key facts
- Estimated rehabilitation cost
- Over Rs 1,000 crore
- Damage assessed so far
- Rs 150 crore to nearly Rs 200 crore across over 8,000 families
- Assessment coverage target
- 50,000-60,000 families by August 30
- People affected
- Over 1.12 lakh across four districts
- Initial cash assistance
- Rs 15,000 each to 64,891 families; 31,212 more to follow
- Anganwadi rebuilding
- Rs 11.3 crore for 494 centres, up to Rs 2.5 lakh each
- Namghar aid
- Rs 1.5 lakh each from August 20 in Sivasagar and Charaideo
- Chief Minister's Relief Fund
- Rs 142 crore received
Quotes
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
State Chief Minister of Assam
“I believe there will be a spending of over ₹1,000 crore in damage repair and rehabilitation. The PM has assured that there is no issue in paying the affected families and asked us to do the assessment without any lapse.”
freepressjournal.in
“"From August 20, Rs 1.5 lakh each will be provided to affected Namghars, a place of worship for Vaishnavite followers, in flood-ravaged Sivasagar and Charaideo districts to rebuild the institutions."”
theprint.in
Sources
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