Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to raise the issue of flood management in Assam and has also alleged "discriminatory" treatment by the Centre in the Union Budget.
The Congress deputy leader in the Lower House said in the notice on Wednesday that there have been inadequate allocations made for flood management in the Union Budget 2024 for Assam.
"Year after year, the state grapples with this crisis, and yet, the allocation for flood management remains grossly inadequate. The mere mention of Assam in the budget speech without a corresponding allocation of funds for flood management is a clear indication of the government's disregard for the plight of the state's people," he said in the notice.
Gogoi accused the Centre of allocating more funds to the states where similar disasters do not take place. "It is disheartening to note that other states, which are comparatively less affected by floods, have received significantly higher allocations for disaster management."
He also highlighted the "significant decrease" in allocations made to the Jal Shakti Ministry for Flood Control and Drainage from Rs 104.56 crore (actuals) in 2022-23 to Rs 33.17 crore (estimates) in 2024, which he claimed was alarming.
Gogoi said that Assam was worse affected by floods than Bihar. "Assam's flood-prone area spans over 31.05 lakh hectares, which is about 39.58 per cent of the total land area of the state. This is four times the national mark of the flood-prone area of the country. National Flood Commission's numbers reveal that there is a marginal difference between the flood-prone areas in Bihar and Assam. However, in terms of the impact of the yearly floods, Assam is worse off than Bihar," he said.
"It is unfortunate that the state government as well as the members of Parliament from the BJP have remained silent on this discriminatory treatment," alleged Gogoi.
"The lack of adequate funds is severely hampering Assam's ability to implement effective flood prevention, mitigation, and rehabilitation measures. Investing in flood management in Assam is not merely an expenditure but a prudent investment in the state's future. Therefore, I urge the House to discuss this matter with utmost urgency and compel the government to take concrete steps to address the critical issue of flood management in Assam," the Congress leader said.
During the Union Budget presentation on July 23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced assistance to Assam and Bihar for flood management and related projects.
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