Modi announces Rs 2,000 cr package for flood affected victims in NE states
Guwahati: Prime Minster Narendra Modi in Guwahati, on Tuesday, stressed the need of permanent solution for the perennial problem of floods in Assam.
He announced a package of Rs. 2000 crore for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood affected people in northeastern states.
Responding to the demand of declaring Assam floods as national problem, Modi told legislators, “The flood problem of Assam is always a national problem. The government and people of this country also appreciate it as national problem and they respond to it with equal concern.”
He also asked the legislators of the ruling alliance to ensure that government schemes percolate down to the grassroots.
Referring to the Goods and Service Tax (GST) in his speech to the legislators, he suggested them to work to enroll even the smallest unit under GST, which will help them in long run.
The Prime Minister in his short speech also called upon legislators to work for the nation building.
Meanwhile, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Modi has decided to constitute a high power group of technocrats and experts to study course of Brahmaputra and suggest long-term measures for its permanent solution.
The group of technocrats will also study the problem of erosion and related problems and work out a strategy for the permanent solution of it.
He said that Prime Minister has announced a corpus of Rs. 100 crore for the purpose.
Informing that Assam may get a share of about 1200 crore in Rs. 2000 crore package announced for relief and rehabilitation measures in the northeastern states, Sarma said that Prime Minister has also sanctioned an additional Rs. 250 crore for immediate relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims in the state. It is significant that Centre has already released an amount of Rs, 345 crore to the state government for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.
He said that Prime Minister also reviewed the ongoing flood relief and rehabilitation measures of the state government.
Prime Minister also reviewed the flood situation in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. The chief ministers of these states, except Mizoram met Prime Minister and submitted their charter of demands. Prime Minister left for New Delhi at about 3:00 PM.
