Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced financial assistance to states including Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand and Sikkim which have suffered losses due to floods and other natural calamities. She said that Bihar, which frequently suffers from floods, will get some relief as plans to build flood control structures in Nepal will soon progress.
“Bihar has frequently suffered from floods, many of them originating outside the country. Plans to build flood control structures in Nepal are yet to progress. Our government through the accelerated irrigation benefit program and other sources will provide financial support for projects with estimated cost of Rs 11,500 crores such as the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link and 20 other ongoing and new schemes including barrages, river pollution abatement and irrigation projects,” Sitharaman said in her Budget speech in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
“In addition, survey and investigation of Kosi related flood mitigation and irrigation projects will be undertaken,” she said. Sitharaman said that the central government will provide assistance to Assam for flood management and related projects.
“Assam grapples with floods everywhere. By the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries originating outside India. We will provide assistance to Assam for flood management and related projects,” the Finance Minister said.
For Himachal Pradesh, the Finance Minister announced assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation. “Himachal Pradesh suffered extensive losses due to floods last year. Our government will provide assistance to the state for reconstruction and rehabilitation through multilateral development assistance,” Sitharaman said.
She also announced to provide assistance to Uttarakhand which also suffered losses due to cloud burst and massive landslides. “Recently, Sikkim witnessed devastating flash floods and landslides that wreaked havoc across the state. Our government will provide assistance to the state,” Sitharaman added.
The Finance Minister presented the first Union Budget of the Modi 3.0 government and her seventh consecutive one during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The budget session of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12.
