- 96,842 flood-affected families received Rs 15,000 each as financial aid so far
- Rs 146.26 crore spent on assistance; 3,000 more families to be covered soon
- Damage assessment includes 26,681 houses and 18,887 cattle sheds affected
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said 96,842 flood-affected families had so far received one-time financial assistance of Rs 15,000 each as the state government began a detailed assessment of damage caused by the floods.
Sarma made the announcement at a press conference at the Media Hall of Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur after releasing assistance to another 31,991 families from four affected districts.
The government has spent Rs 146.26 crore on the assistance distributed so far. The Chief Minister said the list of beneficiaries was still being prepared and around 3,000 more families could be covered in the next phase.
"We want the affected families to have some cash in hand when they return home after the flood. This assistance is meant to help them settle back and meet their immediate needs," Sarma said.
He also said Rs 2,500 had been provided to eligible beneficiaries under the Orunodoi scheme, adding that the government was using direct financial assistance to support families returning to their homes after the floods.
The government has now turned its attention to assessing the extent of the damage. A rapid survey is being carried out across the affected areas with the help of 1,144 teachers.
Preliminary figures show that 26,681 houses and 18,887 cattle sheds have been damaged. Losses to handloom-related raw materials have also been recorded, while the assessment has so far covered around 5.98 lakh pets and domestic animals.
The survey of agricultural and fisheries losses is still underway. Officials have identified 99,256 farmers who have suffered crop or other agriculture-related losses.
Sarma said the first round of the survey was expected to be completed by August 28 or 29. The details would then be uploaded on a web portal, allowing affected people to check the information recorded against their names.
The portal will also provide an opportunity to file objections if a beneficiary has been left out or if the damage reported during the survey does not match the actual loss.
A second round of verification is scheduled to begin around September 1 or 2 and continue until September 10 or 11. The revised list is expected to be made public around September 15 or 16.
The Chief Minister said complaints that remain unresolved could lead to another field verification.
"If there is a complaint for the third consecutive time, we are ready to conduct a third survey. Our aim is to complete the survey and provide financial assistance by October 9 or 10," he said.
If another round of verification is not necessary, the government hopes to complete the process by the end of September, Sarma added.
The damage recorded on the assessment portal has so far been estimated at around Rs 480 crore for houses and other properties, although the figure is expected to change as the survey progresses.
Longer-term rehabilitation is also being considered for some of the worst-hit areas of Sivasagar and Charaideo. Sarma said the state government had discussed the possibility of providing houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for eligible families in the two districts.
"We are trying not just to provide immediate relief but to give a strong and lasting solution to the affected people," Sarma said.
Restoration work has already started at several damaged schools, roads, naamghars and health facilities. Health and veterinary teams are also continuing to conduct camps in areas affected by the floods.
The government is separately working on ex-gratia payments of Rs 9 lakh to the next of kin of those who died in the floods, the Chief Minister said.
On relief for borrowers, Sarma said 1,712 affected people had so far applied for a moratorium on bank loans. Eligible borrowers have been asked to submit their applications by August 31.
"There are still many people who have not applied for the moratorium. I appeal to all affected people who are eligible to apply before August 31," he said.
Insurance claims are also being processed. According to Sarma, 1,598 claims have been received so far, of which 170 have already been settled and the payments released.
He appealed to flood-affected people with insurance cover to approach their respective companies and submit claims for the losses suffered during the floods.
The Chief Minister said the immediate priority was to finish the damage assessment, give people an opportunity to challenge the findings and complete the compensation process for eligible families.
