Guwahati: Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has formally appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate a substantial special package of Rs 10,000 crore for Assam, aiming to mitigate the widespread economic distress and infrastructural damage caused by the state's recent devastating floods. Gogoi, who also serves as the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, highlighted the urgent need for these funds to assist citizens in recovering from financial losses and to rebuild crucial rural infrastructure.
In a public statement made on a social media platform, Gogoi detailed that the proposed package would address the extensive damage to essential amenities including roads, local shops, educational institutions, and vital drinking water systems across the flood-affected regions. The call comes amidst a period where Assam has grappled with one of its most severe flood events in decades, impacting countless lives and livelihoods.
Critically, Gogoi also questioned the Centre's commitment to the people of Assam, drawing attention to the considerable corpus of the PM CARES Fund. He pointed out that the fund's latest audited report, released after a significant delay, indicated a balance of Rs 8,452 crore, with nearly 93 percent of this amount reportedly parked in fixed deposits. In stark contrast, only Rs 87.85 lakh was reported as spent during the financial year 2024-25, according to Gogoi's statement. This alleged discrepancy, he suggested, raises serious questions about the fund's responsiveness during times of crisis.
The appeal for a comprehensive package follows the Centre's recent sanction of Rs 379.35 crore for Assam, which Gogoi implicitly described as insufficient given the scale of the damage. The Congress leader's demand underscores the significant gap between the state's recovery needs and the current provisions, urging a more robust and immediate intervention from the Union government.
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