Guwahati, July 26: As floodwaters began to recede across Upper Assam on Sunday, the state government announced a shift from emergency rescue to large-scale rehabilitation, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma saying ministers will fan out across the worst-hit districts immediately after the ongoing Assembly session to begin coordinated restoration work.
Sarma said the unprecedented floods — the worst to hit Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat in nearly two decades — affected 19 revenue circles, 1,040 villages and 977,483 people. At least 145 relief camps are sheltering 41,945 people, while rescue teams have evacuated 28,645 residents. The disaster has claimed 65 lives across Assam, including 59 in the four worst-affected districts; seven people remain missing. Authorities report 21,007 livestock dead and more than 70,884 hectares of agricultural land damaged, with schools and other public infrastructure severely affected.
With waters falling in several areas, the government is expanding relief distribution and preparing to restore public services. Sarma said sector-wise restoration will include repairing schools, restoring healthcare services, rebuilding rural infrastructure and accelerating rehabilitation. He noted that many schools and anganwadi centres were inundated and rendered unusable, making the restoration of education and public services a priority. “Once the Assembly session concludes, ministers of every department will visit the affected districts to undertake sector-wise restoration work,” the Chief Minister said.
To strengthen relief delivery, specially prepared family relief kits have begun reaching affected districts from Kamrup Metro, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. Each kit contains 8 kg of rice, 2 kg of dal, one litre of mustard oil, salt and candles. Food packet distribution will continue over the next seven days. So far, authorities say 14,400 quintals of rice, 2,736 quintals of dal and 58,967 litres of mustard oil have been distributed.
Aerial relief operations have been modified after complaints that food packets were getting damaged on delivery. Following discussions with the General Officer Commanding of Eastern Air Command in Shillong, the revised system was deployed in Nazira and Sivasagar. The Indian Air Force has carried out 29 sorties and airdropped more than 4,100 relief packages to marooned communities.
Rescue and relief efforts continue with 250 NDRF personnel supported by 36 NDRF boats, 65 SDRF and Fire and Emergency Services boats, three Indian Army boats and 82 country boats mobilised from Majuli and neighbouring areas. Sarma acknowledged some remote villages may still be awaiting assistance and said the administration is working to ensure no affected family is left out. He appealed to citizens, voluntary organisations and civil society groups to contribute clothes, utensils, educational kits, medical supplies, baby food and disinfectants as thousands return to damaged homes.
The Chief Minister thanked ministers, MLAs, volunteers and organisations involved in relief operations, noting that Cabinet ministers Keshab Mahanta, Susanta Borgohain and Bimal Borah have been on the ground in Charaideo and Sivasagar, while Finance Minister Ajanta Neog is overseeing relief in Jorhat and Golaghat. Sarma added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been in regular touch and a central assessment team has begun surveying damage in Charaideo, with visits to Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat planned before a report is submitted to the Union Home Ministry.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/assam-plans-minister-led-rehabilitation-in-flood-hit-districts-after-assembly-1614773
Category: Assam,Featured
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Publish Date: 2026-07-26 22:10:00
