PTI
SHILLONG, OCTOBER 16
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]eghalaya government has sought Rs 3,072 crore financial assistance from the Centre for restoration of key infrastructure damaged in last month’s flash floods and landslides caused by cloudburst in which 59 lives were lost and five persons are missing since then.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma handed over the memorandum to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday in New Delhi where a detailed report of the damages due to the September 24 flash floods and landslide was given.
“We have sought Rs 3,072 crore financial assistance from the Centre for repair and restoration of properties and infrastructure damaged by flood and landslide,” Mukul Sangma told PTI.
This he said, was necessary in view of the fact that the state is not in a position to meet the financial requirements for rebuilding the lives of affected people and their infrastructure.
The extent of damage to houses, crops and public properties is estimated around Rs 1,550 crore and Rs 422 crore was sought from the National Disaster Relief Fund.In addition, the state also requested Rs 1,100 crore as Special Financial Assistance for permanent restoration of critical infrastructure particularly roads and bridges, irrigation, water supply and power, the chief minister said.
The Chief Minister said the natural calamity claimed the highest number of lives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the 59 people who died in the calamity and five others who were missing.
A total of 1,659 number of villages were affected by the flash floods and landslides and over 10,000 houses and about 16,000 Ha of cropped area is reported to have been damaged, a statement released by the government said.
About 8,200 Ha of agricultural land needs to be de-silted in the Garo Hills region and over 2,500 fish ponds were damaged, it said.
