Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 18: Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, currently on a visit to the union capital, today held an over hour-long meeting with Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and discussed the current situation in Assam arising from the massive floods. After the initial one-to-one meeting, the two leaders were also joined by senior officers from the Union Ministry of DoNER and the State Government of Assam, who gave a brief resume of the flood relief work as well as different ongoing development projects in the State.
Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated to Sarbananda Sonowal the high priority that Prime Minister Narendra Modi accords to the development of Northeast. He also disclosed that soon after Assam and other States were hit with floods, the Prime Minister lost no time in promptly responding and personally intervened to ensure all possible assistance for rescue and relief operations. Under the instructions of Prime Minister Modi, he said, two Central Teams were immediately deputed to the flood-hit areas and a mechanism was put in place for joint collaboration among the PMO, Ministry of DoNER and Ministry of Home Affairs.
In the meeting held on 13th July, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it was also decided to seek the services of the Department of Space and ISRO, and at the same time, take immediate preemptive health measures to prevent the outbreak of epidemics in the aftermath of floods.
With regard to various ongoing development projects, Dr Jitendra Singh said, in spite of the heavy rainfall and floods, every effort has been made to ensure that the construction and other development works undertaken under the aegis of Ministry of DoNER are not hampered or affected. He also referred to the recent introduction of a direct air flight between Guwahati and Silchar which has been widely welcomed and informed that steps are being taken to resume the air flight between Guwahati and Dibrugarh which had been discontinued for some time.
Sarbananda Sonowal expressed his satisfaction and appreciation in the manner in which the Central Government came forward wholeheartedly to assist the State Government in a worst flood situation faced this year. He said, he had personally gone and thanked Prime Minister Modi for the deep concern shown by him for the people of Assam.
Sonowal also appreciated the proactive approach of the Ministry of DoNER and measures adopted by it to avoid delay in execution of various projects.
At the meeting, it was also decided to constitute a high -level committee which would work out a long-term plan for prevention of such flood havocs in future.
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