Tripura CM Saha announces special package worth Rs 564 crore for flood-hit areas

Agartala (Tripura) (India), September 7 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday announced a special relief package worth Rs 564 crore for flood-hit areas and people of the state.

On the third day of the session of the Trypur Legislative Assembly, CM Saha said the members of the Assembly were aware that the recent floods in the state had caused serious damage to roads, bridges, electricity transmission lines, agriculture, gardens, cultivated farmlands, fish ponds, dams, animal resources and houses.

“National highways, state highways and rural roads were inundated and ponds, reservoirs and farmlands were submerged in silt and water. The initial estimate of the damage due to floods is around Rs 14,247 crore. The district magistrates and line departmental officials have assessed the actual damage at the ground level. Once the actual damage is assessed, the state government will submit a memorandum to the Union Home Ministry seeking additional funds for relief and rehabilitation,” CM Saha said.

He also informed that considering the scale of damage caused by the recent floods, the state government has decided to announce a financial package for immediate relief and reconstruction works in various sectors.

“The total package amount is Rs 564 crore, which will be met from the government funds. We all know that the state will take months to recover from this shock and rebuild its infrastructure to keep up with the growth. However, this package will point in the right direction in providing relief to the flood-affected people and continuing the development process of our government,” he added.

The package includes Rs 70 crore for the Food and Civil Supplies Department, where 10 kg of additional rice per ration card per month for the next two months will be provided. This will benefit around 9.8 lakh ration card holders in the state. For agriculture, Rs 15 crore has been earmarked as financial assistance for seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural support for production of Kharif and Rabi crops. For horticulture, Rs 5 crore has been earmarked for financial support for cultivation of winter vegetables and flowers, repair of paddy fields, fertilisers and removal of silt from damaged land. Rs 10 crore of financial assistance has been earmarked for purchase of fish to increase fish production. In the Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD), Rs 5 crore will provide immediate assistance for the health of affected animals, including animal feed, water supply, medicines, rehabilitation, input subsidy and other measures.

In the education sector, Rs 12 crore has been allocated for providing books to flood-affected students and for repairing and maintaining schools and colleges. Rs 50 crore has been allocated for the Public Works Department (Drinking Water and Sanitation) to ensure supply of drinking water to flood-affected schools, Anganwadi centres and households. For urban and rural development, Rs 52 crore will be allocated for repairing and maintaining urban and rural roads, drainage systems and office buildings.

The Department of Health will receive Rs 100 million to purchase 2,000 bags of bleaching powder, 200,000 ORS sachets, 200,000 halogen tablets, 100,000 zinc tablets, antipyretics and medicines for skin diseases to support disinfection and diarrhoea prevention activities.

In the Public Works Department (Water Resources), Rs 35 crore will be allocated for rehabilitation, repair and maintenance of dams, canals and major projects in the state. The Power Department will get Rs 100 crore for speedy rehabilitation, repair and maintenance of transmission lines, transformers, wires, cables and accessories. The Public Works Department (Roads and Buildings) has been allocated Rs 200 crore for reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads and drains damaged by floods. (ANI)