Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday claimed following request from the state government, the 15th Finance Commission has accepted river erosion as a natural calamity and has recommended adequate funds.
Sonowal in a statement said the state government has already sent a letter to the 15th Finance Commission, requesting it for granting adequate compensatory measures towards relief and rehabilitation of erosion-hit people and consider erosion as a natural calamity.
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“In response to Assam Government’s letter, the 15th Finance Commission accorded river erosion as a natural calamity and recommended for adequate compensation including rehabilitation under SDRF and NDRF,” Sonowal stated.
Stating that the Central government has asked the state to submit a report incorporating the details of those victims in the state, who have become landless and homeless due to erosion, Sonowal said his government is preparing a detailed report for the same to be submitted to the Centre.
He also exuded confidence that this would ultimately bring to an end to the long pending problem that the people of Assam have been going through owning to erosion.
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Sonowal claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given importance to the flood and erosion of the state and affected a phenomenal increase of Rs. 772 crore under SDRF.
The chief minister also said as a part of allocation, the state government has already received Rs. 386 crore.
Besides flood and erosion, the state government has released substantial amount to look after other calamities that the districts might go through.
He also said necessary instructions have been given to the district administrations for providing quality food, medicines, baby food, fodder etc to the flood and erosion hit people living in the relief camps.
The chief minister said his government would not tolerate any recklessness in this regard.
Sonowal said the people of Assam are currently fighting against various calamities like COVID19, flood, cyclone and African swine fever.
However, the government is putting up its brave front against these problems with the help of the people of the state and different departments of the government, he said.
Sonowal, who has visited flood and erosion-hit villages, said strict instructions have been given to water resources department to repair the breaches in the embankments so that they (embankments) can sustain their capacity as deterrent to flood.