Union Home Minister Amit Shah and state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta met today in New Delhi to talk about the growing drought-like conditions in Assam that have affected the agriculture industry. Minister Mahanta informed the Union Home Minister of the persistent drought-like conditions in a number of the state’s districts during their meeting on Thursday and pleaded with the federal government to provide the required support. The minister told Amit Shah that the irregular and noticeably inadequate rainfall this season is causing severe water shortages in paddy fields in many Assamese districts, particularly in Lower, Upper, and Central Assam, endangering livelihoods and food security in these areas. Even though Assam typically receives a lot of rain in July, the state has experienced a sharp decline in rainfall this year due to the ongoing monsoon season. In this regard, Minister Mahanta asked the Union Home Minister to use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide central aid to Assam. Additionally, he presented Amit Shah with a formal letter outlining the state’s concerns during the meeting.
Concerned about the current state of affairs, the Union Home Minister promised the state government that the federal government would give the issue careful thought. Minister Mahanta asked for an early release of the State Disaster Mitigation Fund’s (SDMF) remaining central funding in the same letter. Minister Mahanta also suggested establishing a regional campus of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in Assam to improve professional and technical capacity in disaster management in Assam and the Northeast. The minister underlined the critical need for preparedness, professional training, and capacity building in the Northeast, pointing out the region’s vulnerable geographic conditions, which are vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides, and floods.
“The planned NIDM campus will offer specialized training, education, and research in disaster management for Assam and the entire Northeast region,” he wrote in the letter. The regional center will assist in developing a competent workforce for the Northeastern states’ disaster management agencies and provide technical assistance to state and district administrations. Additionally, the center will support the Assam State Disaster Management Authority’s (ASDMA) and other Northeastern states’ comparable organizations’ ongoing work. Additionally, in order to guarantee that the public in the impacted areas receives accurate, timely, and efficient early warnings, Minister Mahanta proposed the use of “Cell Broadcasting” technology in Assam and asked the national government for assistance and approval.
