GUWAHATI, Feb 14 � The Central government has rejected the proposal of the State government for enhancement of financial assistance to the flood-hit families of the State under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).
According to an official press release, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in his letter to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on September 24, 2014, had requested the Union Ministry to enhance financial assistance, under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), for the flood-affected families of Assam as the current rates of assistance are too little. In his letter, the Chief Minister highlighted that in Assam the people of flood-affected villages mostly have kutcha houses which get easily damaged during floods.
The financial assistance provided under SDRF is essential for reconstruction of these houses damaged by natural calamities. However, the costs of these materials have been increasing and the financial assistance fixed by Ministry of Home Affairs for damaged kutcha houses is inadequate.
In view of this, the Chief Minister had proposed enhancement of financial assistance under SDRF to the affected families for repairing their houses at Rs 35,000 per house for fully damaged kutcha houses, Rs 20,000 per house for severely damaged pucca houses, Rs 10,000 per house for severely damaged kutcha houses and Rs 5,000 for partially damaged pucca/kutcha houses. However, the Union Ministry has turned down Gogoi�s proposal.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, in his letter dated December 29, 2014, stated that the norms for assistance to the housing sector under SDRF were already enhanced and that the extant norms of SDRF inter alia provide for assistance for repair of damaged houses at Rs 17,600 per house for fully damaged kutcha house; Rs 12,600 per house for severely damaged pucca house; Rs 3,800 per house for partially damaged pucca house and Rs 2,300 per kutcha house etc.
