Sikkim gets additional Rs. 227.51 crore central assistance towards earthquake reconstruction ‘for now’

TOTAL CENTRAL ASSISTANCE AT Rs. 1,269.15 CRORE; ADDITIONAL AID MAY STILL BE COMING BUT STATE MAY HAVE TO REWORK DPRS

GANGTOK, 03 Jan: of Sikkim has been accorded an additional Rs. 269.15 crore from the Central government as central assistance apart from the Rs. 1,000 crore announced earlier by the Prime Minister for earthquake relief, restoration and rehabilitation. In total, Sikkim has been provided with Rs. 1,269.15 crores under the National Disaster Relief Fund by the central government “as of now” as has been confirmed by central Home Ministry sources while talking with NOW! over the phone from New Delhi.
NOW!, it may be recalled, had earlier reported that the State government had prepared Detailed Project Reports for reconstruction work related to the various line departments which amounted to around Rs. 7,400 crore and had been submitted it to the Ministry of Home Affairs in late November, 2011. Subsequently, in mid-December, a meeting was held in New Delhi between State and Central government officials where the DPR was discussed. While the central assistance may seem puny in comparison to the total demand put up by the State, Home Ministry sources stated that there may be additional provisions released later in the budget or assistance can also be provided through other sources and agencies. However, this is yet to come about and may take some time, if it does.
On the other hand, it was also stated that while the State government had submitted a reconstruction and rehabilitation package totaling Rs. 7,400 crore, it would take time for the central government to study and examine the DPRs in detail. In other words, the submissions of the state government will have to be verified and they may not necessarily be justified. The DPRs, it is understood, have to reflect the quantum of damage incurred by the earthquake of 18 September.
On the Rs. 1,269.15 crore central assistance decided for now, it is explained that this included the Rs. 1,000 crore package already announced by the Prime Minister during his Sikkim visit and also the earlier announced package for restoration of drinking water supply sources, reconstruction of irrigation channels and construction of flood protection works. This had also been announced by the Prime Minister earlier. The cost of these works have been computed at Rs. 41.64 crore by the high level committee and comes from the special component of National Rural Drinking Water Project. So, in effect, the high level committee headed by Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has actually approved only Rs. 227.51 crore for Sikkim as of now.
This amount as financial aid has been approved under the National Disaster Relief Fund. This aid has been provided as assistance for permanent reconstruction and mitigation measures in respect of government buildings, mines, minerals and geology and other important infrastructure in the state.
However, apart from reconstruction of drinking water sources etc, the central government will also be providing assistance for restoration of damaged national monuments which will be taken up by the Ministry of Culture.
The Prime Minister had earlier stated that a special dispensation will be provided under the centrally sponsored and central sector schemes for enabling the reconstruction of infrastructure like rural roads, school buildings, health centre buildings and anganwadi buildings.
It has also been sounded out that though the State government has forwarded a memorandum containing detailed project reports for reconstruction and rehabilitation worth Rs. 7,400 crore, it may be so that the centre may ask the state to re-examine and re submit the DPRs after it has examined them. It was also reminded, at the same time, that additional financial aid could also be provided in the budget and under different sources.