STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Sunday accused the Assam government of inadequate budgetary planning and poor utilisation of funds for flood relief and rehabilitation, and announced that it would move the High Court over the alleged non-utilisation of District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) funds.
Addressing the media, former minister Nilamoni Sen Deka alleged that although the Centre had released disaster relief funds, the state government could not utilise them because it had failed to make the necessary budgetary provisions. He also questioned the Centre’s allocation of Rs 379 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for Assam and sought additional financial assistance.
The APCC demanded that Assam’s flood problem be declared a “State Problem” through a resolution in the Assembly and said it had submitted a 24-point memorandum seeking assistance for affected farmers, GST exemption on house rebuilding materials, compensation for business losses and free essential food supplies for flood-hit families.
The party also condemned the re-arrest of tribal leader Pranab Doley under the National Security Act after he secured bail and demanded withdrawal of the case.
Rejecting the government’s claim that cloudbursts and inflow of water from neighbouring states caused the floods, the APCC alleged that illegal coal mining and stone crusher operations along the Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Nagaland borders had worsened the situation. It demanded a Supreme Court judge-led inquiry into the alleged coal syndicate.
The party further alleged that Rs 300-400 crore lying in the DMFT had not been utilised for disaster mitigation despite earlier directions of the High Court and the National Green Tribunal to curb illegal mining, and said it would file fresh public interest litigation along with a contempt petition before the High Court.
Also Read: Assam Floods: SAPTUSS continues Relief Drive in Upper Assam