Assam Anti-erosion Project: Dispur awaits Centre's guidelines

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam has not been able to carry out any anti-erosion project under the 'State Disaster Management Mitigation Fund' (SDRMF) as there are no guidelines from the Central government on this score.

The SDRMF is a new initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is undertaken under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Though the earlier SDRF rules do not allow the State government to execute any anti-erosion projects, the Centre has allowed the States to undertake various anti-erosion projects under SDRMF from this fiscal (2020-2021) onwards.

Of the overall Rs 858 crore Central allocation under SDRF to Assam, Rs 163.02 crore has been allocated under SDRMF.

Against this backdrop, the Revenue & Disaster Management Department has now decided to move the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for taking up two major anti-erosion projects at the earliest. These are in Dibrugarh district as well as the Baghjan area of Tinsukia district. The project estimates are being prepared by the State Water Resources department, which already has an NDMA allocation of Rs 300 crore for taking up such projects. The NDMA is also under the MHA. While the 'Assam Revenue & Disaster Management department' gives administrative approval to such SDRF schemes, the Water Resources Department implements the projects. While the Central government gives 90 per cent of the annual SDRF fund, Assam government has to bear the remaining 10 per cent.

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