Guwahati, Jul 23 (IANS): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech on Tuesday announced providing financial assistance for flood management and related projects in Assam and Sikkim.

While presenting her seventh straight budget in the Lok Sabha, she said that Assam grapples with floods every year from the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries, originating outside India.

“We will provide assistance to Assam for flood management and related projects,” she announced.

Announcing financial assistance for Sikkim, the Finance Minister said that recently Sikkim witnessed devastating flash floods and landslides that wreaked havoc across the state.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked the Union Finance Minister for proposing special assistance to the state to meet the challenges posed by recurring floods.

Reacting to the Union budget, the Chief Minister in his statement on social media said: “We are extremely grateful for the special assistance Assam will receive under this budget to help meet the challenges posed by floods.”

FM Sitharaman while presenting the budget in the Lok Sabha proposed assistance to the flood-affected states like Bihar, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim with flood management and development support, including financial backing for flood control projects.