Assam CM launches disbursement of Rs 15,000 interim flood relief for families of four upper districts
Dibrugarh, August 3
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday launched the disbursement of interim financial assistance of Rs 15,000 each through Direct Benefit Transfer to flood-affected families of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts at a programme held at the Chief Minister's Secretariat in Dibrugarh.
On the occasion, he also virtually released the state subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for eligible beneficiaries from the four flood-affected districts.
It may be mentioned that financial assistance will be extended to around 75,000 flood-affected families of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat, which were severely affected by the recent devastating floods. In the first phase, financial assistance was transferred today to 62,696 families.
Based on the assessment reports and beneficiary lists submitted by the district commissioners, the remaining eligible beneficiaries will receive the assistance by August 5.
The Chief Minister also released the state subsidy amounting to Rs 41.67 crore for 9,289 eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana in the four flood-affected districts.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said the state government has undertaken a series of measures to support the flood-affected people of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat. He remarked that the resilience shown by the people in overcoming the recent calamity was an inspiration to all and expressed gratitude for their courage and cooperation.
He also appreciated the solidarity displayed by people who extended help to one another despite suffering personal losses and acknowledged their efforts to restore normalcy.
Sarma said the state government, in consultation with the central government, has already announced several relief measures to strengthen these efforts.
He mentioned that on August 1, Rs 2,500 each had been transferred to the bank accounts of Orunodoi beneficiaries in the four districts. He further stated that after discussions with banks, a six-month moratorium had been arranged for repayment of various loans of flood-affected people.
Discussions with insurance companies have also resulted in measures to simplify and expedite settlement of claims relating to house, vehicle, business and life insurance. Insurance companies will appoint district-level nodal officers, establish dedicated helplines and process claims with minimal documentation, including through video verification where necessary. Interim insurance payments will also be made until final settlements are completed.
The Chief Minister said the government has accorded priority to rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the floods, particularly in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.
He informed that an immediate grant of Rs 2.10 lakh each has already been announced for repair of flood-damaged schools, while Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is conducting a detailed assessment of the damage. Funds will be transferred to school accounts by August 5. Free textbooks have already been dispatched to both districts, and financial assistance from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund has been released to Samagra Shiksha to provide two sets of uniforms to every affected school student.
Reiterating the government's commitment to stand by flood-affected people, Sarma announced that every Namghar damaged in the floods would receive Rs 1.5 lakh before August 7.
He also announced waiver of electricity bills up to 300 units for July for consumers in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, along with exemption from payment of land revenue for one year.
Stating that families returning from relief camps urgently require cash to purchase utensils, clothing and other essential household items and to clean flood deposits from their homes, the Chief Minister said the government had decided to provide Rs. 15,000 as immediate assistance to every affected family.
He informed that assistance had been transferred to 35,298 families in Sivasagar, 19,883 families in Charaideo, 4,922 families in Jorhat and 2,593 families in Golaghat, taking the total to 62,696 families.
He added that the final number of beneficiaries is expected to exceed 75,000 and that another 15,000 families would receive assistance by tomorrow. The assessment process will continue and financial assistance will be released until August 5.
The Chief Minister further announced that families in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts who are still unable to return to their homes or continue to face severe flood conditions till August 9 will receive an additional Rs. 10,000 on August 10.
Sarma observed that under the conventional system, official assessment of flood damage often takes six to nine months, with compensation reaching beneficiaries nearly a year later.
He said the state government intends to change this practice by ensuring faster assessment and disbursement. Officials from the four districts will undergo training in Jorhat on August 7 to conduct surveys of permanent damage. These trained officials will, in turn, train field surveyors on August 8, following which surveys will commence across the four districts from August 9 or 10. The survey is expected to be completed within ten days, enabling compensation for permanent losses to be released within August or by the first week of September.
He said the Prime Minister has assured that the central government will provide the required funds to the state government as per the prescribed norms once the assessment is completed.
Sarma added that the confidence and encouragement received from the Prime Minister had enabled the state government to undertake such an expedited exercise.
Referring to the loss of lives in the floods, the Chief Minister said no amount of money could compensate for such irreparable loss, but standing by the bereaved families was the government's responsibility. Accordingly, the state government has decided to provide a one-time assistance of Rs 9 lakh to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, comprising Rs 4 lakh under the SDRF norms and an additional Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
The Chief Minister also directed the chief secretary to prepare a comprehensive plan to ensure that flood-affected people in the four districts receive immediate benefits under various state government welfare schemes, similar to the support extended through the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
The programme was attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta, Minister for Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare Department Rameswar Teli, MLAs Sanjay Kishan, Prasanta Phukan, Taranga Gogoi and Binod Hazarika, besides several other legislators who joined virtually. Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota, senior government officials and other dignitaries were also present.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While the DBT is good, I wish the criteria for "eligible families" were more transparent. In my village in Jorhat, some families who lost everything are still waiting, while others who weren't severely affected got money. The district commissioners need to be more accountable.
The six-month loan moratorium and insurance claim simplification are very thoughtful steps. Flood victims shouldn't worry about EMIs when their homes are underwater. Also, the Rs 9 lakh for families who lost loved ones is a decent gesture, though no amount can truly compensate for a life. 🙏
As someone from Sivasagar, I'm relieved to see the Chief Minister focusing on our district. The 300-unit electricity bill waiver and land revenue exemption will help us breathe a little easier. But the real test will be rebuilding roads and schools—hope the government doesn't forget that after the cameras leave.
Appreciating the speed of this disbursement! In the past, relief used to take months. The PM Surya Ghar scheme getting linked to flood relief is also smart—people need electricity to rebuild their lives. Kudos to CM Sarma for the prompt action. 🇮🇳
The decision to survey permanent damage within 10 days is ambitious. I just hope they include proper technical experts and not just local officials who might inflate numbers. Also, why is Golaghat getting only 2,593 families? Seems low; many areas there were badly hit too.
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