Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Monday refuted union minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s comment that the state government has failed to utilise the central funds for disaster relief.
“While the state had utilised the central allocation for disaster relief last fiscal, the central government is yet to release its share this year. The state has already released its share,” Gogoi said in a statement here.
The state government also conveyed to the Lakhimpur MP, through a letter Monday, that of the total Rs.183.38 crore central fund available for State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Rs.162.65 crore has already been sanctioned for flood relief operations and restoration works.
There would be no unspent balance available with the SDRF after meeting the huge quantum of liabilities created on account of relief and rescue operations during the recent devastating flood, the letter said.
Flash floods have severely affected the Goalpara, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup (rural) districts of Assam in the last two weeks, killing at least 36 people and rendering over a lakh people homeless.
The floods have also damaged roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in these districts besides destroying standing crops in several hectares of land.
The state government also brought it to the notice of the union sports, youth affairs and skill development minister that no fund has been received from the central government for SDRF for 2014-15 till date.
Menwhile, Gogoi said a Group of Ministers (GoM) will be set up soon to study the causes of devastation wrecked by the current wave of floods in Kamrup and Goalpara districts.
The GoM will suggest suitable and effective measures for mitigating the risk of flooding, he said.
Gogoi said the decision to constitute the GoM has been taken following his visit to flood-hit areas of Goalpara district Sunday.
“The GoM would make a thorough study of the flood situation in this particular belt after consultations with experts from disaster management, water resources, hydrology and other fields and submit its final report to the chief minister for necessary steps,” said the statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office.