Urged FinMin to release financial assistance for flood-hit Tripura: Minister

Agartala, Jan 7 (PTI) Tripura minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Tuesday said he has urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to release financial assistance to rebuild areas ravaged by floods in the northeastern state.

Altogether 38 persons had died and property amounting to Rs 14,287 crore was washed away in the devastating floods in August and September last year.

"We all know that the state had witnessed the worst-ever floods in the recent past, causing unprecedented damage to infrastructure and private property. We are trying to get assistance from the Centre at the earliest,” he told reporters here.

"During the pre-budget meeting of finance ministers with Sitharaman in December, I raised the issue and urged for the release of central assistance to the flood-battered state as early as possible. We have already spent Rs 564 crore from our own resource to help the affected people and rebuild the damaged infrastructure,” Singha Roy said.

The Centre has so far released Rs 65 crore from the state's share in the NDRF in two phases as flood assistance.

"Chief Minister Manik Saha will visit Delhi soon and likely take up the issue with the officials concerned,” the state's finance minister added. PTI PS RBT

Source: PTI