GUWAHATI, July 31 - The Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware of the damages caused by floods and erosion in Assam as breaking away from the tradition, different Central Government agencies, which are not directly or indirectly involved with floods, were also engaged in carrying out studies of the damages and send reports to the Prime Minister�s Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that stress is likely to be given on chalking out a comprehensive plan for rehabilitation of the affected people and repairing the damages caused to the roads and bridges, embankments, schools, hospitals, etc., during the last wave of floods in the review meeting to be chaired by the Prime Minister in the Assam Administrative Staff College tomorrow. Modi is scheduled to visit the State with a day long programme tomorrow to review the scene in the aftermath of floods and he will have a meeting with the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues and other senior officers to chalk out strategies for post flood repair and rehabilitation. The meeting is also likely to discuss long term strategies to deal with the problems of flood and erosion, sources said.
However, it is still not decided whether the Prime Minister will visit any other place in the State or make any aerial survey of the affected areas.
Sources revealed that the normal practice was that the State Government, State Disaster Management Authority and National Disaster Management Authority used to send reports to the MHA in pre-set formats Central teams also visited to assess the situation on the ground after the flood water receded. But this time, all such reports were also sent to the Prime Minister�s Office daily to that the Prime Minister can monitor the scene regularly.
Moreover, instead of depending entirely on the reports of the State Government and the concerned agencies, a new method was used for getting an �independent assessment� of the damages caused by floods. The Government of India engaged Central agencies, which are not directly or indirectly involved with floods, to assess the situation on the ground regularly and send detailed reports both to the PMO and the MHA so that the Government is fully aware of the scene and the damages. Such agencies, along with the reports of the damages, also sent reports on the relief distribution measures taken by the State Government. That is why, the Prime Minister is fully aware not only of the devastation but also of the relief and rescue operations undertaken by the State Government and other agencies, sources added.
