Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday asserted that there would be no shortage of funds for flood relief and rehabilitation, saying the Centre bears almost the entire financial burden of disaster management and that additional assistance would be sought whenever required.
Addressing reporters at Sonari in Charaideo district, Chief Minister Sarma said the state government would ensure all possible support to families affected by the devastating floods, many of whom have lost homes, livestock, documents and other valuables.
"The issue is not about fund. Whatever expenditure is incurred on flood relief and erosion management is almost entirely reimbursed by the Central government. We only have to spend the money and submit the required details," the Chief Minister added.
He noted that funds for relief operations are provided in advance by the Centre under established disaster management mechanisms and that the state can seek additional allocations if the existing provisions prove inadequate. "If an extraordinary situation arises that goes beyond the existing guidelines, we can approach the Central government for additional assistance.
If necessary, we can even seek support directly from the Prime Minister. There will be no shortage of funds for helping the affected people," Chief Minister Sarma said. He assured that the state government would compensate losses to the extent possible, including damage to houses, educational certificates, cattle and other essential assets destroyed in the floods.
The Chief Minister said the state government's immediate priority remained rescue and relief, with the Army, NDRF, SDRF and civil administration working round-the-clock in severely affected areas. He, however, acknowledged that rescue efforts continue to face major challenges as several villages remain submerged and inaccessible.
Chief Minister Sarma also reiterated that the state government would continue assessing the extent of the damage and updating relief measures as floodwaters recede.He said the scale of destruction was still unfolding and the actual losses were likely to be much higher than those reflected in the initial official assessments.
The Chief Minister added that the state government would remain committed to supporting flood-hit families until rehabilitation is completed and normalcy is restored across the affected districts.