Akhil calls off sit-in after meeting with 2 Assam ministers over compensation to flood-hit families

Guwahati, Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi on Thursday called off his 13-day sit-in after two Assam ministers assured him that CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had agreed to his demands for adequate compensation for the flood-affected people of four districts.

The move came after state cabinet ministers Keshab Mahanta and Pijush Hazarika met Gogoi at the protest site outside the assembly.

Gogoi had started the sit-in on October 2, demanding adequate compensation for flood-hit people of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts of Upper Assam.

The MLA had submitted a memorandum to the government demanding that the affected families of these four districts be given a one-time interim assistance of ₹15,000, and an additional ₹10,000 for flood-hit people of Sivasagar and Charaideo.

He had been demanding a CBI inquiry into the causes of the flood.

"We have been deputed by the chief minister to discuss the matter with Gogoi and convey certain measures taken by the government to him," Mahanta said.

He also said, "Providing ₹15,000 as an interim financial assistance to each of the 3,068 families will require over ₹4.60 crore, and the government has agreed to pay the amount to the families listed by the Raijor Dal."

The chief minister decided that a high-level inquiry would be instituted and that the committee details would be announced soon, Mahanta said.

On the demand for payment of an additional ₹10,000, the minister said that a survey would be conducted and a decision would be taken accordingly.

Gogoi said the government had already initiated the process of assisting 57,000 families and the issue of the pending ₹15,000 payment has now been resolved.

The Raijor Dal MLA claimed that several flood-affected families, particularly those in Sivasagar, were not covered by the initial survey, but the government had agreed to prepare another list after conducting fresh surveys to identify those left out of the previous assessment.

During the meeting, Gogoi urged the government to double the financial assistance provided under the Orunodoi scheme for flood-affected families and called for government housing for people whose houses had been destroyed.

The MLA said he had asked for a CBI inquiry into the deaths and other issues linked to the floods, and the state government announced a high-level inquiry by an expert committee.

Gogoi also urged his party workers protesting in Sivasagar and Charaideo to call off their stir.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.