Agartala, October 1: Amid mounting opposition pressure accusing the central government of neglecting Tripura’s flood crisis, Chief Minister Manik Saha announced on Tuesday that the state has received ₹25 crore from the Centre for flood relief and restoration which is part of Rs 675 crores announced by the center a day ago for flood-affected Gujarat, Manipur and Tripura.
This comes in the wake of devastating floods that recently ravaged the state, causing an estimated loss of ₹14,000 crore and claiming 39 lives.
The announcement was made speaking to reporters in the sidelines of the state-level celebration of six years of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and three years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission at Pragna Bhavan in Agartala.
CM Saha revealed that the ₹25 crore allocation marks the second installment of relief funds, following an earlier release of ₹40 crore in advance to the State Disaster Management’s annual fund.
“Today, we received information regarding the allocation of ₹25 crore for flood restoration, in addition to the ₹40 crore that had been sanctioned earlier,” CM Saha told reporters.
He emphasized that the funds will be used to restore essential infrastructure and support flood-affected families across the state.
Despite the release of funds, opposition parties have remained critical of the central government’s response to the flood crisis. Just a day prior to CM Saha’s announcement, the Tripura Pradesh Congress organized a mass deputation in Agartala, demanding adequate compensation for various affected groups.
The Congress called for specific support to the working class, farming community, fishery owners, and those involved in livestock, alongside compensation for the families of the 39 individuals who lost their lives due to landslides and drowning during the floods.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) has also attacked the ruling BJP on several fronts, including its handling of the flood crisis, unemployment, financial mismanagement, corruption, and the declining law and order situation in Tripura.
The release of funds comes at a critical time for the BJP-led alliance government in Tripura. As opposition parties intensify their campaigns against the ruling government, particularly over its response to natural disasters, unemployment, and financial instability, the central relief allocation may serve as a temporary reprieve.
As Tripura continues to grapple with the aftermath of one of the worst floods in recent memory, it remains to be seen whether the ₹25 crore infusion will ease the growing unrest.
Questions remain as to whether this will be enough to placate the Opposition critics who argue that the relief measures are insufficient in light of the vast scale of destruction.
