NEW DELHI: About 600 people have been killed and 2.26 lakhs left homeless due to heavy rains and flash floods across several states during southwest monsoon so far, the Centre said Thursday.
The numbers presented in Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju highlighted the massive damage caused during first two months of southwest monsoon, especially in Assam.
On the matter of funds not being provided to states, Rijiju said that many states have not used the money provided to them in the state disaster response fund (SDRF).
“As per the information of damage received from states 600 persons have lost their lives, 2,25,998 people are living in camps, 63,215 houses have been damaged and about 2.8 lakh hectares of crop area have been affected due to heavy rains, floods and landslides across the country,” said Rijiju.
A calling attention notice was tabled in the house by Ripun Bora, a member from Assam, regarding ‘situation arising out of recent floods in various parts of the country particularly in Assam.’
Replying to it, the minister said that 89 percent of the area in the country has received excess/normal rainfall while 11 percent of the area received deficient.
With regards to Assam, the Centre said that the state has faced two waves of floods till July 19, 2017, affecting 29 of 33 districts, resulting in loss of human lives, livestock and large scale damage to the dwelling houses.
“The state government has mentioned that 1160 relief camps have been opened and 1,31,416 inmates are housed in these camps,” he said.
In order to assess the loss of immediate nature, an inter-ministerial central team, in consultation with the state government is visiting the affected, areas from July 25-28 for on the spot assessment of damages of immediate and temporary nature.
Defending that government that all monetary help is provided to affected states, Rijiju said that no states have zero funding in state disaster response fund.
“An amount of Rs 9382.80 crore has been allocated as central share to all the states in their SDRF accounts for the year 2017-18. In addition, financial assistance from NDRF amounting to Rs 1555.84 crore has been provided during 2017-18, so far, to different states which were affected by calamities of severe nature,” he said.