Assam: Ministry of Home Affairs allocates Rs 198 cr for projects under State Disaster Mitigation Fund

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allocated Rs 198.80 crore for Assam under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) for the current financial year. The allocation was made as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission. Of the Rs 198.80 crore, the central share is Rs 179 crore, and the remaining Rs 19.80 crore is the state share.

The funding pattern under SDMF is in the ratio of 90:10, with 90 percent being the centre’s share.

For approval of schemes under SDMF, there is a State Executive Committee (SEC) of Assam State Disaster Management Authority under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Assam. Officials from the Revenue & Disaster Management Department, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, and other line departments comprise the members of the committee.

After approval of any scheme under SDMF by the SEC, administrative approval is accorded by the Revenue & Disaster Management department. Recently, a meeting of SEC was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Assam, and the committee approved 20 projects under the SDMF worth Rs 46.30 crore. Of the 20 projects approved at the meeting, 2 projects are under the Water Resources department, 9 under the Soil Conservation department, 8 under the Irrigation department, and one under RIKA.

The two projects under the Water Resources department are: cleaning of Jamuna canal around Sivasagar Borpukhuri at an estimated cost of Rs 9.27 crore; and flood mitigation at Chowdangpathar area by dredging of Ghiladhari river and construction of silt trap basin in Golaghat district at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore.

The projects under RIKA are Heritage Risk Management for Cultural Continuity in Assam (Component 1: Mask and Pottery in Majuli) at an estimated cost of Rs 20.70 crore.

Under the Soil Conservation Department, 4 projects will be implemented in Golaghat district, one in Sonitpur, one in Tamulpur, and three in Dhemaji district.

The eight projects under the Irrigation department include seven in Udalguri district and one in Kamrup district.

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