GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday requested Naredra Modi to launch ‘Prime Minister’s Special Programme for Flood and Erosion Control’ for developing road-cum-embankments stretching about 5,000 km.in the state where rural and agriculture economy has been devastated by the perennial problem of flood and erosion.
Sonowal also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister requesting him to direct the Ministry of Water Resources for early release of central share amounting to Rs. 1138 crore for completion of schemes undertaken under the Flood Management Programme (FMP) during the 11th and 12th Five Year Plans. The State’s share has already been released for the scheme.
Under FMP, Government of Assam took up 100 and 41 schemes respectively during the 11th and 12th Five Year Plans. State share against these schemes has already been released while the Central share was being awaited.
During a meeting in New Delhi, Sonowal on Tuesday submitted before the Prime Minister that most of the existing river bank embankments in the state had been constructed way back in 1950s and were now standing vulnerable to flood and river bank erosion.
“If these embankments with total 5000 km length are developed as road- cum-embankments, it will ensure regular maintenance and sustainability of the embankments,” Sonowal submitted. He, however, mentioned that the State lacked resources for developing road-cum- embankments and pleaded for an exclusive programme under Prime Minister’s supervision to act as deterrent to flood and erosion, a source in the Chief Minister’s office here said.
Sonowal also briefed the Prime Minister about the two waves of flood lashing the State affecting more than 25 lakh people across 29 districts. “Though the current wave of flood has started receding, 21 districts were still reeling under the impact of floods and 60 precious lives have been lost,” he added.
Sonowal advocated for constitution of a high level inter-ministerial team headed by a Cabinet Minister to study the impact of floods and erosion and suggest permanent measures for mitigating the problem.
Sonowal also requested for a New Industrial Policy to keep the investment momentum in the State going. The NEIIPP, 2007 had expired on 31st March, 2017 and presently there is no industrial policy in place. However, the State recorded investments of more than Rs. 6,500 crores up to March, 2017. Keeping this in view, he requested Modi to take necessary steps for announcement of a new industrial policy to keep the confidence of business on a high trajectory.
The Chief Minister also pleaded for revival of HPC’s two paper units at Jagiroad in Morigaon district and Panchgram in Hailakandi district as closure of these two mills had adversely affected the industrial climate in the State apart from delving a blow to the lakhs of bamboo farmers.