Home minister Rajnath Singh to visit Assam on Saturday

GUWAHATI: With over 18 lakh people in 22 districts of Assam affected in current wave of flood, Union minister for Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh will assess the flood situation in Assam on Saturday.

A senior official in state government told ET, “Singh will do aerial survey of the flood affected areas and will return to New Delhi on Saturday.”

Over 20 persons have died in the current wave of flood.

Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) chief, Hangrama Mohilary, which is partner in the BJP led coalition government said, “ I will meet Home minister Singh and seek one lakh Crore for Assam as flood has ravaged the state badly and it will require huge money to rebuild the whole thing.”

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu said that the Railways would provide free wagons to the Government of Assam for transportation of essential commodities to the flood affected districts of the State.

In a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Railway Minister said the Railway would provide wagon free of cost for transporting relief materials to the flood affected districts across the State and asked the Chief Minister to avail the services.

Prabhu also said that the Government could make use of the abandoned railway tracks as ‘platform’ for sheltering those displaced by the deluge.

The Chief Minister has asked the concerned departments and the Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts to avail the facilities extended by the Indian Railway for the flood affected people.

State’s Water Resources Department has suspended four officials for exhibiting gross negligence of duty during the current wave of flood in Majuli.