Assam CM Tarun Gogoi seeks Rs 1000 cr aid, accuses Centre of discrimination

Guwahati, Sep 25: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday sought Rs 1,000 crore from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as relief to the flood affected state but also accused the Centre of failing to take the deluge in his state as seriously as the one in Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, however, denied any discrimination saying the northern state had to be helped as flood was not a regular phenomenon there and the administration had no idea how to tackle it.

"Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 1,000 crore as immediate relief to flood-hit Assam," a release from the CMO said.

The state would be able to make a correct assessment of the damages only after waters recedes in Goalpara, Dhubri, Kamrup Rural and Kamrup Metro districts that bore the brunt of the disaster. Gogoi also apprised Modi of the loss of lives, extensive damages to roads, bridges, houses and cropped land by the recent wave of floods causing huge losses, it said.

The Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister about the steps initiated by the state government to rescue the marooned people and to provide relief to them.

Earlier in the day, Gogoi alleged that Assam was being discriminated against by the Centre saying the state should get the same treatment as received by Jammu and Kashmir.

"Their's (J-K) is a one-year affair. Ours is an every year affair," Gogoi told reporters.

Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi also said, " We had hoped to get the same help from the Centre. Assam's floods was unprecedented."

Responding to the accusations, Rijiju said, "Jammu and Kashmir government does not know how to handle floods as it does not occur there regularly.

"(But) floods in Assam is a recurring problem, so the government knows how to handle it. We have responded to the floods in Assam. We will not allow any discrimination. We will never allow that. Money has already been given for the State Disaster Relief Fund. Extra NDRF force will also be given," Rijiju, who hails from the northeast region, told reporters at Lakhimpur airport.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday called up Giorgi to take stock of the flood situation in the state and assured him of all help from the Centre.

PTI