Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Assam Panchayat & Rural Development (P&RD) Department has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for assessment, prioritisation and mitigation of post-flood damages in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat, which were severely affected by the floods in July 2026.
The SOP lays down a time-bound mechanism for assessing damage to rural roads, drainage systems, water bodies, embankments, public buildings, houses, sanitation infrastructure, agricultural land and livelihood assets.
The restoration programme will be carried out by combining resources from VB-G RAM G, PMAY-G, the 15th Finance Commission Grants, the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLMS), the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS), and other government programmes.
The SOP provides for assessment at the gaon panchayat (GP), block and district levels. At the GP level, officials and elected representatives will conduct field assessments, identify damaged assets and affected households, capture geo-tagged photographs and prepare priority lists.
The block-level committee will technically scrutinise and consolidate GP reports, prepare programme-wise action plans and ensure that proposed works comply with scheme guidelines.
At the district level, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) under ASDMA will review and prioritise proposals, facilitate inter-departmental convergence and monitor implementation.
A major focus of the SOP is providing immediate wage employment to flood-affected people through permissible works under VB-G RAM G. Priority works include restoration of rural roads, culverts, cross-drainage structures, canals, traditional water bodies, flood diversion drains, embankments, community buildings and other public assets damaged by floods.
The SOP also permits livelihood-orientated individual beneficiary schemes, subject to applicable approvals. These include cattle, goat, piggery and poultry shelters, farm ponds, vermicompost structures and plantation-related activities.
For future flood preparedness, the government has identified construction of flood relief shelters, flood diversion channels, drainage systems, embankments, flood protection walls and storm-water drains as priority interventions wherever permissible.
The SOP specifies that restoration of the same asset under VB-G RAM G should ordinarily be permitted only once and requires a no-objection certificate from the line department concerned for the restoration of assets belonging to other departments.
The government will conduct a special survey of households that the 2026 floods completely destroyed, leaving them homeless.
The survey will cover houses irrespective of whether they were constructed under PMAY-G, another government housing scheme, or through private resources. Partially damaged houses will not be covered under this exercise.
Officials will physically verify each case and collect PMAY-G registration details, Awaas+ 2024 Survey IDs, MGNREGS job card numbers and other relevant information.
Flood-hit districts may utilise available 15th Finance Commission United Grants for repair and renovation of eligible public assets, including schools, GP buildings, Anganwadi centres, health centres and veterinary facilities.
Tied grants may be used for restoration of drinking water and sanitation infrastructure, including piped water systems, public toilets, water bodies and solid, grey and liquid waste management facilities.
The SOP also outlines a multi-phase livelihood restoration strategy through ASRLMS.
The organisation has sought an additional Rs 100 crore allocation, a mother sanction and procedural relaxation from the Ministry of Rural Development for flood-related assistance under the Vulnerability Reduction Fund.
Subject to approval, Rs 10,000 assistance per affected SHG member may be provided.
A six-month moratorium up to January 31, 2027, has also been proposed for community institution loans in flood-affected areas, covering loans under CIF, CEF, VRF, SVEP, OSF, AGEY and other ASRLMS community loans.
The affected districts have also been directed to identify poor and vulnerable families whose breadwinner died in the floods.
Eligible surviving family members may receive Rs 20,000 financial assistance under the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS). The identified beneficiaries will be verified and certified by the district commissioner before enrolment and sanction through the NSAP-PPS portal.
The SOP specifies that the identified restoration works aim to mitigate flood impacts during the flood season, which runs from June to September.
The department clarified that the SOP will complement, and not override, existing central and state scheme guidelines, acts, rules and financial and technical procedures.
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