Tripura receives Rs. 25 crore for flood relief; oppt. demands more support

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Oct 01, 2024

Agartala, Oct 1 (FD) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha announced on Tuesday that the state has been allocated Rs. 25 crore for flood relief and restoration efforts. This is part of the Rs. 675 crore fund recently declared by the Central government to support flood-hit states, including Gujarat, Manipur, and Tripura, which experienced severe flooding in August.

Speaking at an event in Agartala marking six years of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and three years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Saha shared that earlier, the Centre had sanctioned Rs. 40 crore for restoration efforts. “The funds will be used to restore essential infrastructure and provide aid to those affected by the devastating flood across the state,” Saha said.

However, opposition parties, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress, criticized the government for what they termed inadequate relief efforts. The Congress staged a mass deputation in Agartala, demanding fair compensation for various affected groups, including farmers, fishery owners, and families who lost members to the floods.

The flood, which claimed 36 lives and damaged over 62,000 homes—of which 8,830 were completely destroyed—prompted the state government to declare Tripura as a "Natural Calamity Affected Area" on August 29. The government’s declaration highlighted the extensive damage to both public and private properties, even as flood conditions improved after August 24.

Opposition parties also accused the ruling BJP of failing to address key issues such as employment, law and order, and corruption, with the CPM joining in the criticism. FD SB