Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Farmers in the Charaideo and Sivasagar districts face a long road to recovery after devastating floods wiped out crops and seed stocks. While voluntary groups step in to help, political tension over state aid is boiling over. Local MLA Suruj Dihingia and MP Jogen Mohan recently distributed seeds at Doba in Mahmora to assist those struggling to restart cultivation.
The current state aid package is failing. Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi slammed the government on Sunday, August 2, calling the relief funds inadequate. He demanded at least Rs 10 lakh for each affected family to cover total losses. He noted the current payouts of Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 are insufficient. "The government should provide at least Rs 10 lakh to every affected family. It can be given in instalments. First, provide Rs 2 lakh immediately so that people can begin rebuilding their lives, and then release the remaining amount in phases," Gogoi stated.
Claims of corruption follow the criticism. Beneficiaries report receiving only 5 kg of rice in official relief packets despite a promised 8 kg. Gogoi urged an immediate investigation into these discrepancies.
Meanwhile, the Assam Jatiya Parishad is running a massive seedling campaign. President Lurinjyoti Gogoi set a goal to collect one lakh bundles of paddy seedlings for farmers. Volunteers have already gathered over 5,000 bundles from regions including Goalpara, Lakhimpur, Namsai, Sadiya, Ekpathar, and Palashbari. The party is also cleaning flood-hit schools and namghars while helping farmers transplant crops.
Lurinjyoti Gogoi remains critical of state management. He blamed illegal coal mining, deforestation, and unregulated stone extraction for worsening the floods. He also demanded transparency regarding Orunodoi scheme funds and criticized the Centre for failing to announce a special financial package for the state.
Comments