PM Modi ignored Assam says former CM Tarun Googi after Modi's response to floods in Gujarat

According to media reports, devastating flood over the past few weeks have hit 29 of Assam's 33 districts of 33 and affected over 2.5 million people in the state.

The flood has claimed 77 lives across the state so far.

Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that PM Modi did not have time to visit Assam to take stock the flood situation but he flew to his home state and announced Rs 500 crore as interim flood relief and ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for flood victims and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

"Actually the BJP-led union government neglected Assam," Gogoi said.

On the other hand, senior journalist of Assam and Editor of Assamese news daily, Dainik Janambhumi, Utpal Baruah said that, while Modi visited his home state Gujarat, the Centre just sent a 7-member inter ministerial central team led by a joint secretary level official to Assam to take stock the flood situation.

"Centre has not released a single penny as flood relief to Assam, whereas the state government had sought relief from the centre and submitted a memorandum to the Union Home minister last year," Utpal Baruah said.

The flood situation and death of 77 people resulted in netizens venting their ire on social media.

"Over 2.5 people affected and 77 people had lost their lives, Modi sent just a junior minister (Kiren Rijiju) and he spent just an hour in the state. But Modi flew himself to his home state. Why Assam always neglected from the Centre," Manty Mamu Kashyap, a social activist said.

"PM Modi didn't consider visiting Assam or sending a senior colleague to take stock the deadly flood situation," Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader Akhil Gogoi said.

The BJP-led Assam government on Tuesday sought Rs 2,939 crore assistance from the Centre to carry out repair works of infrastructure, embankments, roads, bridges, culverts etc damaged in the current wave flood in the state.
Assam Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia said that the state government has made a preliminary assessment of flood damages and submitted a detailed list of damages caused to infrastructure under various departments under the state government to the centre.

“Out of Rs 2,939 crore, about Rs 1,800 crore would be required to repair and strengthen embankments and other flood control measures across the state,” the Assam Chief Secretary said.

To assess the flood situation and damages in the state, a 7-member inter ministerial central team led by V Shashank Shekhar, Joint Secretary, Union Home Ministry arrived in Guwahati on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)