NEW DELHI, Sept 6 - Amidst allegations levelled by the State Government against the Centre, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday called for Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh�s intervention seeking a special package for the flood-affected people of the State.
Sonowal�s meeting assumes significance because the Assam Government has been levelling allegations that the Centre has turned a blind eye towards Assam�s devastating floods. The Minister of State on Sunday submitted a report on the flood situation in the State to Rajnath Singh.
Sonowal, meanwhile in his report to the Centre said that the State has been hit by at least four waves of floods, with the latest being the most devastating of them all.
Sources said, in his report to the Union Home Minister, Sonowal have made six recommendations, including a special package for the flood-affected people. The suggestion is in line with a similar demand made by the Assam Government, though Sonowal has not suggested any amount.
It was pointed out to the Home Minister in the report that embankments of the major rivers and its tributaries are old and have been damaged by the floods. There is a need for reconstruction and adoption of new technology, Sonowal�s report suggested.
Further dredging of the Brahmaputra and its channels is the need of the hour to guide the course of the river.
The Union Minister of State urged the Centre to provide interim relief to the flood-affected people and suggested that a delegation of senior officials drawn from various concerned ministries be rushed to the State to take stock of the situation.
Sonowal in his report has further called for sanction of ex-gratia payment to the families of those who have lost their lives and livelihood in the floods. The Centre was also urged to extend proper rehabilitation measures to the homeless and landless people.
The Minister, who was tasked by the Centre to tour the flood-affected areas and submit a report, visited Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Sadiya and Majuli, besides the flood-affected districts of lower Assam.
In his report, he mentioned that the State has suffered widespread damage to infrastructure, standing crops, livestock and agricultural land and made a special mention of the damages sustained by river island Majuli.
The Minister also appreciated the role played by the Central agencies in relief and rescue work, sources said.
As reported, the Government of Assam has levelled serious allegation against the Narendra Modi Government of not sanctioning a single rupee to the State for relief and rescue operations. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had sought release of Rs 500 crore for relief and rescue operations.
