DHAKA, May 9, 2017 (BSS) – The government has so far allocated Taka 272 crore for the flood affected people in country’s haor areas where relief operations are going in full swing.
“Relief goods worth Taka 272.26 crore would be distributed among the flood-hit haor people till July. Besides, 80 per cent of the district-wise allocations has already been distributed by Tuesday (May8),” Md Riaz Ahmed, director general of Department of Disaster Management, told BSS today.
Moreover, the government has already earmarked Taka 82.07 crore for generating employment for some 91,447 extreme poor under different employment generation programmes, he said.
About 8 to 9 lakh families have been devastated by floods at 62 upazilas under six haor districts — Sunamganj, Sylhet, Netrokona, Kishorganj, Hobiganj and Moulavibazar.
So far, a total of 587 relief distribution centers have been opened at the union and ward levels for smooth distribution of the relief materials in the affected areas.
Under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), the government has allocated 32,340 tons of rice and Taka 49.50 crore as cash which would be distributed among 3.80 lakh families of flood affected farmers and fishermen in the six haor districts.
The VGF will continue till the next harvest, officials said.
The government has formed a 24-members committee headed by the additional secretary of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry according to the decision of a meeting held on April 23.
The committee has been asked to identify the causes of early flood and make recommendations on future tasks. The committee has already started their activities.
Apart from this, two flood control rooms have been set up at the ministry and the Department of Disaster Management for exchanging information round-the-clock between the centre and the filed level administration.
Fulltime relief control rooms have also been opened at the offices of the Deputy Commissioners and the Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) in the affected regions, officials said.
An inter-ministry proposal with short, medium and long term programmes has been submitted to the Prime Minister for her consideration for quick recovery of the flood affected haor people.
The proposals include exemption of interest on credits disbursed by NGOs and keeping repayment of capitals postponed for one year, repayment of farm loan under installments, exemption of electricity bills, taking agriculture rehab programes, 100 percent stipend for students, exemption of tuition fees for a year, creating employment for women, construction of embankments and innovation of short duration paddy for the flood-prone haor areas.