NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday approved the release of Rs 250 crore as grant of assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to Assam for rehabilitation and restoration work after floods and landslides this year, officials said. The decision has been taken by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked the central government for approving the amount to the state.
"We are extremely grateful to Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi Ji and Adarniya HM Shri @AmitShah Ji for release of Rs 250 cr from National Disaster Response Fund to help Assam work on rehabilitation & restoration of the damages caused due to massive floods & landslides this year," Sarma tweeted.
In a communication, the home ministry said the issues of severe flood and landslides during this Monsoon has been considered in the home ministry.
The home ministry, after examination, decided with the approval of the home minister to release an amount of Rs 250 crore 'on account basis' from the NDRF to the Assam government pending finalisation of the assessment by the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) and recommendation of High-Level Committee (HLC), the communication said.
"In view of the above, the Department of Expenditure (Ministry of Finance) is requested to kindly release above mentioned amount, on an 'on account' basis from NDRF, as an interim assistance to the government of Assam, pending the final assessment of the requirement of funds for immediate relief operations and approval of the HLC thereon, under intimation to this ministry," the home ministry communication said.
Over 100 people lost their lives and about 70 lakh people of Assam's 24 districts, out of 33, were affected by the floods and landslides this year so far.