Assam Opposition seeks Rs 10,000 crore central package for flood relief, government says 68 dead

Opposition parties in the Assam Assembly on July 28 demanded a special financial package of Rs 10,000 crore from the Centre for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in flood-affected areas, as the state government confirmed that 68 people have lost their lives in this year's devastating floods.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, legislators from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Congress and AIUDF criticised the handling of the flood situation, alleging delays in relief and rescue operations, particularly in the worst-hit districts of Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat.

TMC MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed described the floods as one of the most devastating disasters in recent memory and claimed that relief and rescue efforts failed to reach many affected people in time.

He urged the Centre to announce a special package of Rs 10,000 crore for Assam, stating that affected families require substantial financial assistance to rebuild their lives. Ahmed also appealed to the Assembly Speaker to lead a delegation to the flood-hit areas to assess the situation on the ground.

Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar said Upper Assam had witnessed one of its worst floods in nearly a century and called on the state government to seek special financial assistance from the Centre. He also demanded that the floods be declared a national disaster to facilitate greater central funding and urged the government to provide one-time financial assistance to every affected family.

AIUDF MLA Mazibur Rahman alleged that multiple agencies responsible for disaster management had failed to respond effectively and called for a comprehensive review of the state's flood management strategy.

Replying to the discussion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika described the latest floods as "unprecedented and unnatural", attributing the disaster to heavy rainfall in Assam and massive inflow of water from neighbouring Nagaland.

The minister acknowledged that the administration was unable to reach every affected person during the crisis but said all elected representatives, irrespective of party affiliation, were working to support flood victims.

Hazarika informed the House that 68 people have died in this year's floods, including 30 in Sivasagar, 20 in Charaideo, nine in Jorhat, two in Golaghat and seven in other districts.

He said a central team is currently assessing the flood damage and assured the Assembly that the Assam government would provide all necessary financial support to help affected families restore their livelihoods.

Meanwhile, the overall flood situation in the state has shown signs of improvement, with no fresh fatalities reported, the number of affected people declining to around 4.45 lakh, and water levels receding across several districts.