Assam demands flood relief, Modi government looks the other way

It wasn’t a good start for Assam this year, with regards to the pre-monsoon season. The most populous Northeastern state experiences destruction each year during the rainy season and this year too, there was nothing new compared to its previous years.

The floods this year that affected a population of nearly 0.2 million people have been declared one of the worst in the state’s history, as stated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Even after the Central Government declared the Assam floods as a ‘severe natural calamity, the central assistance received for flood mitigation hasn’t been adequate considering the magnanimity of the destruction and damage caused due to the floods.

In a series of questions raised by Nagaon Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi in the Lok Sabha, on the issue of Assam floods and funds allocated for flood rehabilitation, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai responded to the questions by saying that the nature of floods in Assam has not been that critical and serious, hence the Centre approved only Rs 1,243.69 crores in the last four years, whereas the state government has demanded Rs 9474 crore.

The state government has asked for Rs 2509.07 crore in the financial year 2018-2019, whereas the centre has approved only Rs 138.38 crore. Likewise, in the year 2019-2020, the state government sought Rs 3237.76 crore but the centre approved only Rs 616.63 crore. Simultaneously, for financial 2020–21, the state government had asked for an amount of Rs 2640.87 crore but the centre approved only Rs 437.15 crore and released Rs 44.37 crore from NDRF funds after adjustments in the name of flood assistance. In the years 2021–2022, the Assam state government has sought financial assistance of Rs 1088.18 crore but the centre has approved only Rs 51.53 crore.

On the other hand, Union Minister  Rai answered the queries raised by Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi,  Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai said that adequate funds have been provided to Assam from SDRF funds. He informed the House that the central government has released Rs 628.80  crore in advance to help the state government of Assam to provide relief to the affected people.

Payment has already been made in two instalments from SDRF  funds to deal with the current year's flood after IMCT officials visited the state from May 26 to May 21 and later from June 30 to July 3, respectively.

On the other hand, as per the statement given by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai in response to another question in the Lok Sabha raised by Pradyut Bordoloi, a total of Rs 3,793.60 crore will be provided to Assam from SDRF funds for the financial years 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 as against Rs 2541 crore during the period of 2015-2016 on the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission.

From April 6 to July 15, Assam witnessed two waves of floods which cumulatively affected 89,21,056 people (one-third of the state’s population) in 9,918 villages across 34 districts.

While 195 people have been confirmed dead due to floods and related landslides, 37 others are still suspected to be missing.

Notably, this year’s death toll is the highest since state agencies started keeping tabs on casualties.

Flood damage assessments by government agencies are ongoing and the compensation process has also been initiated in districts where the situation has improved.