Gaurav Gogoi said Assam received only 2.4 per cent of the NDRF assistance it sought between 2019 and 2024 while significant disaster relief funds remained unutilised
Guwahati: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has questioned the limited central disaster assistance received by Assam and the alleged underutilisation of state disaster relief funds amid the ongoing flood crisis.
In a post on X, Gogoi said Assam sought Rs 8,393.98 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) between 2019 and 2024 but received only Rs 205.31 crore, around 2.4 per cent of the amount sought.
Citing Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) findings, he claimed that as of March 31, 2025, around Rs 1,112 crore remained unutilised under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), while another Rs 342 crore under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund had not been utilised. “Every rupee left unutilised carries a cost. It is borne by vulnerable flood-affected communities at a time when they need help the most,” Gogoi said.
The Congress MP also raised concerns over delays in resettling erosion-affected families. He said the 15th Finance Commission had earmarked Rs 1,000 crore under the NDRF Recovery and Reconstruction window, but Assam’s Rs 526 crore proposal, approved in February 2025, was returned by the National Disaster Management Authority for revision. Gogoi said there was no public clarity on whether the proposal had been resubmitted.
Meanwhile, Gogoi visited flood-hit areas in Mariani, inspected embankment restoration work, distributed relief materials, and called for faster relief, rehabilitation and long-term recovery measures for affected families.
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