(a) whether Assam and Meghalaya were ravaged by flash floods in October this year;
(b) if so, the extent of damage of lives, crops and property
both public and private including the railways; and
(c) the assistance given to the State Governments during the
current year to overcome the situation?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) The extent of damages due to floods are detailed below:-
Sl.No. Items Assam Meghalaya
1. Human lives lost (Nos.) 251 13
2. Crop area affected (in million 1.258 0.029 hectare.)
3. Value of public property damaged 570 130.87 (Rupees in crore)
Assam:
(1) Rs.92.52 crore released as Central share under the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF).
(2) Taking into account the report of the Central Team and recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Group and norms of assistance, the High Level Committee (HLC) approved Rs.345.37 crore for flood relief subject to adjustment of fund available under CRF. Accordingly Rs.171.87 crore was released.
(3) The HLC has also approved the following:-
(i) Additional Assistance of 1 lakh Metric tonne rice (costing Rs.120.00 crore).
(ii) Rs.13.45 crore from special component of Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP).
(iii) The cost of transportation of fodder, animal feed and medicine by the Railways and the cost of deployment of IAF helicopters to be released from National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) to the State on actual basis.
(4) The HLC recommended assistance on aspects which were not admissible under CRF/NCCF to the State through the respective Ministries/Departments:-
(i) Rs.20.00 crore for National Highways.
(ii) Rs.11.23 crore for Kaziranga National Park.
(iii) Rs.3.02 crore for Secondary Education.
(5) On receipt of supplementary memorandum from State Govt. and based on the report of Central Team and recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Group, the following further amount has been approved:-
(i) Rs.39.68 crore from NCCF
(ii) Rs.6.02 crore from ARWSP.
(6) Rs.10.91 crore spent by Brahmaputra Board for flood control drainage development and anti-erosion schemes upto November, 2004.
(7) A scheme approved to take up critical flood control and anti-erosion schemes in Brahmaputra and Barak valley for Assam and other North-Eastern States for Rs.150.00 crore (share of Assam Rs.81.00 crore) during 10th Plan.
Meghalaya:
(i) Rs.3.59 crore allocated as Central share under CRF.
(ii) Based on the report of Central Team and recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Group, Rs.6.16 crore released under NCCF taking into account the fund available in the State CRF.
(iii) Rs.1.92 crore from ARWSP and release of 3116 metric tonne foodgrains.
(iv) A scheme approved to take up critical flood control and anti erosion schemes in Brahmaputra and Barak valley for Assam and other North-Eastern States for Rs.150.00 crore (share of Meghalaya Rs.4.50 crore) during 10th Plan.