Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Assam government has greenlit a six-month loan moratorium for flood-hit residents in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat, and Jorhat. Starting July 19, 2026, the relief applies to standard housing, education, and vehicle loans. It also covers farm, crop, and self-help group debt. Borrowers can extend their repayment tenures by six to twelve months once the moratorium ends. Payments stop immediately for those hit by the rising waters.
The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) keeps the pressure on. They want a similar six-month break for all families in Upper Assam. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan argued that residents lost homes, livestock, and businesses. They demand an end to late fees and penal interest. "The burden of repaying bank loans, housing loans, vehicle loans, business loans, microfinance loans, self-help group (SHG) loans, and other EMIs has become unbearable for flood-affected families," the party stated.
Flood waters claimed 78 lives so far. Three lakh people remain affected. The AJP submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 29. They want him to visit the disaster zone and declare the state's chronic erosion and flood crisis a national calamity. They cited a 2005 tripartite agreement that labeled the crisis a national problem, arguing it remains unimplemented. They claim the current administration hides behind the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to avoid providing special aid similar to that granted to Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, and Bihar.
The party demands a full rehabilitation package. They want easy-term credit and interest relief for struggling entrepreneurs and farmers. The Prime Minister has yet to visit the region. Previous prime ministers conducted aerial surveys during similar disasters. The AJP now demands an immediate amendment to the 2005 Act to trigger federal funding for reconstruction.
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