Open PM CARES ‘floodgates’: Kharge tells PM as Northeast flood crisis deepens

New Delhi, June 2: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, on Monday, criticised the Centre over the flood situation in the northeastern states and expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would “open the floodgates” of the PM CARES Fund.

Citing the worsening flood conditions in the region, Kharge said the Centre must urgently release funds to the affected states.

“Modi government must release more funds to all northeastern states, especially Assam, for flood preparedness. Perhaps Modi ji could open the floodgates of the PM CARES Fund, crores of which lie without a public audit,” Kharge said in a social media post, taking a swipe at the Prime Minister.

Referring to Assam, the Congress president recalled that Modi had promised in 2016 to make the state flood-free, a pledge that appears to have gone unfulfilled.

“In 2016, BJP had promised to make a ‘flood-free’ Assam. In 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah repeated this promise. Looking at the visuals from the so-called ‘Smart City’ Guwahati, one is reminded how Modi ji and his double-engine governments have betrayed Assam,” Kharge wrote.

He also urged Congress leaders and workers to step up and do “everything to provide assistance to the people”.

Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, and Meghalaya are among the worst-affected states in the ongoing crisis.

In Assam, the death toll due to floods has risen to 10, with close to 4 lakh people affected as of Sunday evening.

The situation is expected to worsen for people living in low-lying and riverbank areas, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in the state and neighbouring regions.

PTI