Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday called for substantially higher financial assistance for families affected by the recent floods in Assam, contending that the relief announced by the state government falls far short of the losses suffered by residents.
Speaking at a press conference in Sivasagar, Gogoi welcomed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s decision to enhance assistance under the Orunodoi scheme but appealed to the government to extend the benefit to every woman from flood-affected households. He argued that the disaster had impacted not only economically vulnerable families but also a large number of middle-class households that had sustained extensive damage to their homes and means of livelihood.
Displaying photographs of flood-hit families, the MLA urged the Chief Minister to share images of the devastation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight the severity of the crisis in Assam. He also demanded a one-time compensation of ₹10 lakh for each affected family, maintaining that the financial losses endured by residents were far greater than the relief package announced by the state.
Claiming that nearly 40,000 families in the Sivasagar Assembly constituency had been affected, Gogoi sought a special Central assistance package of ₹400 crore for the constituency to support relief, rehabilitation and long-term recovery. Referring to the state’s announcement of ₹15,000 assistance for severely affected families, he said the amount was inadequate and did not correspond to the scale of destruction caused by the floods.
Gogoi further alleged that the Chief Minister’s recent visit to New Delhi had failed to secure any special financial package for Assam from the Centre. He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not granted the Chief Minister an appointment and questioned the state’s ability to obtain adequate Central support for flood rehabilitation.
Describing the floods as one of the worst natural disasters in Assam’s history, the MLA alleged that the Prime Minister had not made any public statement on the crisis. He also claimed that a similar disaster in states such as Odisha, Bihar or Kerala would have attracted greater national attention.
Appealing for a united political effort, Gogoi urged all Members of Parliament from Assam to jointly raise the issue with the Prime Minister and press for immediate Central intervention and additional financial assistance for the affected population.
Warning of protests if his demands remained unaddressed, Gogoi said he would lead demonstrations with flood-affected residents of Sivasagar and organise a protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence unless the government sanctioned ₹10 lakh compensation for every affected family. He further claimed that the floods had set back families in Sivasagar and Nazira by nearly two decades and argued that the Chief Minister should be held accountable if the proposed ₹400 crore Central package for Sivasagar was not secured.
