Centre sanctions Rs. 256.55 crore for flood and erosion management projects in Assam

Union Water Resources and Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed this to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal when the later met him at Transport Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Gadkari said that the water resources ministry has sanctioned funds for implementation of three FMP projects in Dibrugarh district and one each in Morigaon and Kokrajhar district.

The approved schemes include Integrated Flood & Erosion Risk Management Project at Rohmoria, projects for anti-erosion measures at Bar Dirak and Na-chumoni as well as Sassoni Tingkhong in Dibrugarh district, construction of dyke along river bank from Dhankhunda to Gobardhan hills in Morigaon district and erosion protection work of river Aie.

Sonowal during discussion impressed upon the union minister to ensure early release of funds for the ongoing Flood Management Programmes.

He also requested him to announce a special package to carry out new FMP schemes.

Sonowal also drew attention of the union minister about the poor condition of national highways and urged him to take expeditious measures for early completion of four lane works in the state.

The Assam CM also informed him about the Global Investors Summit to be held in February, 2018 and requested him to take steps to complete repairing the National Highways for seamless transportation before the summit takes off.

Gadkari while assuring the Chief Minister of taking urgent measures informed that both NHAI and NHIDCL will work in tandem to accomplish the work.

He also directed VK Rajawat, Technical Director, NHIDCL to visit Assam and station in Guwahati to supervise the construction works.

The duo also discussed about the construction of Express Highway along both banks of river Brahmaputra. During discussion, Gadkari asked the state government to prepare an Integrated Approach Plan involving all line departments for carrying out the project.

The union minister expressed the view that once the express highway becomes a reality, it would work as advance transport network and protection measure against flood & erosion in Assam.

He also informed that funding for the IAP would be made by the union ministry of road transport and highways.

During the course of discussion, dredging of the Brahmaputra River was also raised by the Chief Minister. Regarding dredging, Gadkari informed that two more dredgers would be pressed into service apart from the four dredgers which are already stationed in the Brahmaputra and dredging will start from Sadia next month.

State Water Resources Minister Keshav Mahanta, PWD Minister Parimal Suklabaidya and several other senior officials of central and state governments were also present in the discussion.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)