Revenue Minister reviewed flood preparedness of the State 

Rongili Barta

Revenue Minister reviewed flood preparedness of the State 

Guwahati,Rongili Barta: Shri Keshab Mahanta, Hon’ble minister, Revenue and Disaster Management and Vice chairperson, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reviewed the state level flood preparedness of the  various line departments of the Govt. of Assam today on the outset of ensuing flood season in the State. In a high level  meeting held at Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara, Shri Mahanta also took stock of the district level  

preparedness from the District Commissioners (DCs) through video conference during the meeting.  Hon’ble Minister mentioned about the different sensitive matters related to the management of the relief camps  during the flood season. He also requested all the District Commissioners (DC) to work more on mitigation measures than  to responding during the disaster. The DCs should plan on the mitigation measures beforehand in district level to reduce  the loss of properties and human resource every year during flood. The proposals covering government infrastructure  which are generally used as relief camps during flood should be repaired in advance. The matters like revenue level  mapping of affected areas, maximum human resource availability, training of the concerned revenue circle level officials  should be completed before the flood season.  

Smt. Meenakshi Das Nath, ACS, Secretary, Revenue & DM and Addl. Chief Executive Officer, ASDMA  explained the state level preparedness for upcoming flood season along with the stakeholders to the Hon’ble minister and  highlighted the budget provisions made for FY 2025-26 under Major Head of Account (H/A). Smt. Nath also apprised the  officials present about the decisions taken during the series of thematic meetings already convened in the month of March,  2025 by ASDMA. Some important decisions taken regarding flood response during the thematic meetings are like:  

  1. All departments to share all necessary instructions, guidelines and decisions etc. with their field level  functionaries before 1st May 2025. 
  2. All the stakeholders to conduct all necessary flood preparedness drill w.e.f. 15th to 30th April 2025 in rehearsal  mode and w.e.f. 1st May to 31st October 2025 in production mode. 
  3. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams will be prepositioned at Cachar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon,  Jorhat [by 1st Bn. NDRF], Sonitpur, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh [by 12th Bn. NDRF], 12th Bn. NDRF will also be  placed at Jonai co-district as decided in VC held with the districts. 
  4. All revenue circles to constitute all women task force in model relief camps to ensure gender responsive  relief camp management. 
  5. UNICEF to support ASDMA to convene online/offline orientation of DDMAs and district level line  departments to improve the understanding and use of guidance available. 
  6. Women & Child development Dept. to continue ICDS services during flood by providing services in the  relief camps. They will help DDMAs to carry out a need assessment of community kitchen to be set up in  the relief camps. 
  7. Social Justice and Empowerment Dept. to conduct an assessment of all identified camps in collaboration  with respective DDMAs and recommend practical, locally sourced actions to enhance disability inclusion. H. Health & FW Dept. to place ambulances in strategic locations to cater relief camps using google maps.  I. Education department will introduce project “Akanxhya” for continuation of education from next financial  year in 3 pilot districts i.e. Dhemaji, Barpeta and Dibrugarh.  
  8. PHED to take necessary steps to coordinate with DDMAs and UNICEF for deployment of the mobile water  treatment units of UNICEF in vulnerable districts.  
  9. Concerned stakeholder departments will notify nodal officers from their department for an orientation on the  Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA).  
  10. DDMAs to convene revenue Circle Level task force meeting in every fortnight during the flood season, so  that DDMAs can accord necessary approval in a timely and swift manner, as the delegation of financial  power given to the DCs is time sensitive.  

The meeting was also attended by Shri Dharmakanta Mili, ACS, Secretary, Revenue & DM, Smt. Hemashree  Hazarika, Addl. Secretary R&DM Department and Shri Shyamal Kshetra Gogoi, ACS, Joint Secretary of the Department along with senior officials of the line departments of Govt. of Assam, Central Agencies, Defence forces, knowledge  institutions and nodal officers of various stakeholders