Assam sought Rs 8,394 crore in NDRF aid, received only Rs 205 crore: Gaurav Gogoi

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has raised concerns over Assam’s limited receipt of central disaster assistance and the alleged underutilisation of funds available under state disaster relief mechanisms, amid the ongoing flood crisis.

In a post on X, Gogoi said Assam sought Rs 8,393.98 crore in assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) between 2019 and 2024 but received only Rs 205.31 crore, amounting to around 2.4 per cent of the total amount sought.

He said the Centre’s policy allows up to 50 per cent of a state’s unspent State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) balance to be adjusted against approved NDRF assistance before fresh funds are released.

“Assam has failed on this front,” Gogoi said, citing findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

According to the Congress MP, the CAG found that as of March 31, 2025, around Rs 1,112 crore remained unutilised under Assam’s SDRF, while another Rs 342 crore under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund had not been utilised.

“Every rupee left unutilised carries a cost. It is borne by vulnerable flood-affected communities at a time when they need help the most,” Gogoi said.

He also highlighted delays in the proposed resettlement of families displaced by river and coastal erosion.

The 15th Finance Commission had earmarked Rs 1,000 crore under the NDRF Recovery and Reconstruction window for the resettlement of erosion-affected families.

Gogoi said that in response to a Lok Sabha question raised by him, the Union government informed that Assam’s Rs 526 crore proposal, approved in February 2025, had been examined by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and returned to the state government for revision.

He said there was no public clarity on whether the proposal had subsequently been revised and resubmitted or when financial assistance would be sanctioned.

“Every month of uncertainty means critical resources meant for long-term recovery remain out of reach, even as communities continue to rebuild on their own,” Gogoi said, calling attention to the challenges faced by thousands of flood- and erosion-affected families.

Meanwhile, Gogoi visited flood-hit areas in the Mariani constituency, including Dhontula, where a breached embankment has inundated large parts of the region and affected homes and livelihoods.

The Congress MP inspected the ongoing restoration work at the damaged embankment and distributed relief materials among affected families.

He also visited flood-hit families in Hahsora Chetia Gaon and Panigaon under the Purba Jorhat Block, where he interacted with residents and reviewed the impact of the floods.

Gogoi said the scale of destruction highlighted the urgent need for quicker relief, rehabilitation and long-term recovery measures, adding that affected families should not be left to deal with the crisis alone.