Guwahati, Aug 03, 2022, By Special Correspondent
Guwahati, Aug 3: Floods and landslides claimed 197 lives in Assam this year, prompting the Centre to release Rs 648.80 crore in 2022-23 as disaster assistance to the state, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in a written reply that during the south-west monsoon of 2022, floods and landslides caused extensive damage in various districts in Assam.
Rai said the central government, without waiting for the memorandum from the Assam government, constituted an Inter Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) on May 19, 2022 for on the spot assessment of the damage caused by the deluge.
The IMCT visited Assam from May 26 to May 29 and for the second time from June 30 to July 3.
"The central government has released both the installments of the State Disaster Response Fund of 2022-23, totalling Rs 648.80 crore, in advance, to help the Assam government provide relief to the affected people," he said.
The minister also said that the distribution of the relief amount to the affected people in Assam is the responsibility of the state government.
Rai said 197 people lost their lives in the state due to floods and landslides.
The state government set up 4,075 relief camps and 5,802 relief distribution centres to help the flood affected people.
The issue of damage to infrastructure in the northeastern states due to heavy rains was flagged in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Raising the matter during the Zero Hour, BJP member Tapir Gao from Arunachal East wanted the Centre to approve schemes for restoration of roads and bridges that get washed away due to heavy rains and floods in the NE region.
Recent floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains caused several deaths and massive devastation in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. In Manipur too, several villages were inundated with the rise of the water level of the Barak River.