Congress leader YS Sharmila protests flood situation by wading waist-deep in water | Watch

Referring to the Budget allocations for flood control in certain states, YS Sharmila criticised the Centre, stating that it appears to exclude Andhra Pradesh.

Published on: Jul 24, 2024, 18:55:13 IST

By HT News Desk

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Andhra Pradesh Congress President YS Sharmila staged a protest on Wednesday, July 24, against the BJP-led central NDA government over the flood situation by wading into ‘waist-deep’ floodwaters.

The video also showed YS Sharmila inspecting damaged crops in the area. (ANI)

In a video shared by news agency ANI, Sharmila was seen navigating the floodwaters with Congress workers accompanying her as she engaged with locals in Nandamur village, located in the Tadepalli Rural mandal of West Godavari district. The video also showed her inspecting damaged crops in the area.

Referring to the Budget 2024 allocations for flood control and rehabilitation in states like Bihar, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh, she criticised the Centre, stating that it appears to exclude Andhra Pradesh from its considerations. She noted that the people affected by the floods in Andhra Pradesh have not received any relief.

“Looks like the Modi government does not consider Andhra Pradesh to be a part of India. While states like Bihar, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh received additional funds for flood control and rehabilitation; Andhra Pradesh, the state where NDA is in power received no relief for the woes people are facing here due to flooding,” the Congress leader was quoted as saying by ANI.

Centre's assistance for flood-affected states

During her Budget 2024 speech on Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced rehabilitation and irrigation projects, along with financial aid for flood-affected states including Bihar, Assam, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. This was the first Union Budget presented by the Modi 3.0 government and the seventh consecutive budget delivered by Sitharaman in Parliament.

Financial support has been allocated for projects totaling an estimated ₹11,500 crore in Bihar. This includes the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link and 20 other ongoing and new schemes, such as barrages.

Assam faces annual flooding caused by the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, which flow outside India. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, experiences significant damage from cloudbursts and major landslides. The Union Budget allocated funds to support these states in managing and mitigating these challenges.

The three periods of heavy rainfall in July and August 2023 caused over 500 fatalities, marking one of the worst disasters in Himachal Pradesh in the past century.

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