Shillong:
The Meghalaya government on Wednesday sought financial assistance of Rs.3,072 crore for restoring property damaged by floods and landslides due to incessant rains following cloudburst in the Garo Hills region.
"Chief Minister (Mukul Sangma) met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and handed over the memorandum to him seeking financial assistance for repair and restoration of properties and infrastructure damaged by last month's flash flood and landslides," Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Revenue and Disaster Management Roytre Christopher Laloo told IANS over phone from New Delhi.
"Meghalaya suffered damage to life and property due to the flash floods and landslides. The state is not in a position to meet the financial requirements for rebuilding the lives of affected people and their infrastructure and therefore, we are seeking financial assistance from the central government."
Laloo said the extent of damage to houses, crops and public property is estimated at around Rs.1,550 crore.
"We have requested financial assistance of Rs.422 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund and Rs.1,100 crore as Special Financial Assistance for permanent restoration of critical infrastructure," he said.
The disaster claimed 66 lives and affected more than 200,000 people. As many as 1,659 villages were submerged after a cloudburst over the Garo Hills.
The floods ravaged Meghalaya Sep 24 and continued for nearly a week.