New Delhi/Agartala, Feb 16 (IANS): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and discussed various affairs relating to the state including the post-flood-related situation, the official said here.
An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in Agartala that Saha discussed with Amit Shah the development roadmap and reviewed relief efforts of the post-flood situation in the state.
The Chief Minister in a post on the X said: “Had a productive meeting with Hon'ble Union Minister of and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah ji in New Delhi. We discussed Tripura’s development roadmap and reviewed relief efforts post-Tripura flood. I appreciate his valuable inputs & continued support.”
Meanwhile, Tripura Chief Minister earlier this week said that he is in touch with the Central government for post-flood relief and the Centre would release the funds after completion of official procedures.
While addressing the Flood Relief and Management Programme at Rabindra Bhavan here, Saha had said that in last year’s (in August) catastrophic flood about 17 lakh people were affected and around four lakh people were shifted to safe shelters and 889 relief camps were set up by the government.
At least 38 people lost their lives in the flood and landslides while a total of 58,687 houses were damaged. Due to the devastating flood, the state caused damages of around Rs 15,000 crore, he informed.
Noting that people of all sections helped a lot to deal with natural disasters and contributed generously to the Chief Minister’s relief fund, Saha emphasised the importance of extending a helping hand to people in difficult times. The people of Tripura never experienced such a disaster in the state before.
The Chief Minister also acknowledged and appreciated the efforts made by various voluntary organisations and other groups during this time of crisis. The Chief Minister also mentioned that ‘Abhoy Mission’ (an NGO) and its affiliated organisations have helped about 5,600 flood-affected families.
“The Central government has also provided all possible assistance to deal with the flood situation. Various organisations, including the Air Force, NDRF, SDRF, and others, worked together to manage the crisis. During this time of hardship, everyone contributed to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. This would serve as an example in the future too. People from all walks of life, including small children, students, employees, pensioners, businessmen, clubs, and social organisations, extended helping hands,” he had said.
The Chief Minister further stated that in this flood, six major rivers of the state, except for the Juri River, had crossed the danger mark.
“Among the eight districts in the state, Gomati, South, and Sepahijala districts were the most affected. Other districts also suffered more or less damages,” he had said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah helped a lot to deal with the crisis.
The Inter-Ministerial Central Team visited Tripura and inspected the situation and damages in various districts. The Chief Minister added that an amount of Rs 564 crore, including funds from state exchequer, was allocated to address the disaster.