"Union Minister Acknowledges Assam’s Flood Burden from External Sources": CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the first-time detailed mention of Assam’s flood situation in the Union Budget. CM Sarma acknowledged that the Finance Minister highlighted that Assam suffers from devastating floods annually due to waters flowing into the state from outside nations and states. He noted that this is the first time the central government has recognized this issue.

Sarma remarked, “The Union Minister clearly stated that Assam bears the burden of floodwaters not from its own but from external sources. The central government has never acknowledged this fact before. While there has been criticism over the allocation of Rs 11,000 crore to Bihar, our needs exceed that amount. The central government has sanctioned substantial funds over the past five years, with Rs 4,800 crore received so far. With this new recognition of the flood issue, I believe the figure for assistance in the coming years will surpass Rs 11,000 crore. Nirmala Sitharaman has indicated that the exact monetary support figure for Assam cannot be quantified, but the central government is committed to providing comprehensive support.”

Recently, the flood situation in Assam has shown improvement, with only two rivers—Dikhou in Sivasagar and Disang at Nanglamuraghat—currently flowing above the danger level, according to the latest report from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

As of now, 184 villages across nine districts, including Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Hojai, Jorhat, Goalpara, and Nagaon, are affected by the floods. There are 24 operational relief camps catering to 1,953 inmates, including 706 females and 424 children. The report confirms no human casualties in the last 24 hours.

Also Read: Budget 2024: FM Announces Flood Assistance For Assam, Other Affected States