Guwahati: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday announced Rs 286 crore central assistance to flood-hit Assam, which will be in addition to Rs 386 crore already released to the state.
After conducting an aerial survey of the affected regions in Assam and Meghalaya during the day, Singh told reporters that the Centre would help all flood-affected states as much as possible.
"We have already released Rs 386 crore to Assam. We have sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 286 crore, which will be released soon," he said.
Singh said the Centre has also sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 8 crore for Meghalaya and Rs 20 crore for Arunachal Pradesh.
The Centre has already released Rs 123 crore for Meghalaya and Rs 70 crore for Arunachal Pradesh, he added.
The Home Minister said over 150 persons have lost their lives in these three states due to the floods.
Meanwhile, in Meghalaya Rajnath Singh said an inter-ministerial team would assess the damages caused by flash floods and landslides in Meghalaya and assured maximum assistance to help in rebuilding the damages.
"I have told the Chief Minister to submit a memorandum to the Centre, after which an inter-ministerial team will visit to assess the damages," Singh told reporters in Tura.
"I have assured maximum assistance to the Meghalaya government," Singh added.
The Union Home Minister conducted an aerial survey of the affected regions in the state before being received by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, Dy CM RC Laloo, Tura MP PA Sangma and government representatives.
"The state government has Rs 124 crore. I have asked the Chief Minister to spend that fund. The next instalment will be released immediately, we have already written to the Finance Ministry," Singh said.
Assuring that both Assam and Meghalaya would get full cooperation from the Centre to undertake rebuilding exercises, Singh denied alleged discrimination to states on party lines.
At a review meeting, the state government sought the Centre's assistance to raise a dedicated battalion of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
