- Assam may need over Rs 1,000 crore for flood damage repair and rehabilitation
- First damage verification round ends by September 15 with fresh 10% rechecks planned
- Around 8,000 assessments done, losses estimated near Rs 200 crore and rising
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said Assam may need more than Rs 1,000 crore for repairing damaged properties and rehabilitating people affected by the recent floods in the state as the government prepares to carry out another round of damage assessment.
Sarma said the first round of verification would be followed by a fresh check of 10 per cent of the assessments by officials from other districts. The first verification exercise is expected to be completed by September 15.
People who believe their genuine claims have been missed out can also approach the authorities, he said.
Officials said so far, around 8,000 damage assessments have been made, with the estimated loss put at nearly Rs 200 crore. The figure is expected to rise as the assessment process continues.
The Chief Minister said government measures had helped keep the impact of flooding under control in several areas that have traditionally faced the problem, including Nalbari, Baksa, the Bodoland region, Biswanath and Jorhat.
Sivasagar and Charaideo, however, have emerged as new areas where the government now plans to focus more attention.
For badly affected areas, the government is looking at model housing projects as part of a longer rehabilitation programme. Discussions are also on with the National Dairy Development Board for measures such as distribution of cattle and setting up milk-processing facilities to help affected families rebuild their livelihoods.
Sarma also said work was being planned to strengthen flood protection along the Dikhow and clear blocked river channels.
Meanwhile, around Rs 142 crore has been deposited in the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The Chief Minister said about 900 people had sought appointments to make contributions to the fund.
The government is also tracking insurance claims from flood-affected districts. A total of 703 claims have been filed in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat, of which 176 have been settled.
The government has urged people who suffered losses to file their claims without delay.
A similar gap has been seen in applications for the loan moratorium announced for affected borrowers. Of nearly 2.08 lakh eligible borrowers, only 319 applications have been received so far. All 319 applications have been accepted, with August 30 set as the deadline for submitting applications.
