GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the flood death toll in the state has risen to 66 and announced a large-scale relief initiative by the BJP to distribute clothing to those affected in the worst-hit districts.Sarma said, “So far, 66 persons, including one person in Guwahati Urban, have died in floods in the state.”Announcing the relief drive, the chief minister appealed to BJP workers across Assam to participate in the ongoing efforts, news agency ANI reported.“From the Assam State BJP, we have decided to provide 2 lakh Mekhela-Chador to 2 lakh women and clothes to 2 lakh children who have been affected by the flood. We need Rs 12 crore for it,” he said.
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Sarma also outlined how party workers could contribute towards raising the required funds.“I appeal to the BJP Karyakartas, who want to donate below Rs 2000, to give the amount to their local MLAs, and those who want to donate above Rs 2000 can deposit their cheques to the party’s account number, and we will give the account number on social media,” he added.Expressing confidence that the target would be achieved soon, the chief minister said, “We have targeted to collect Rs 12 crore for it. BJP Karyakartas will help to collect this amount. BJP Karyakartas from various parts of Assam and outside Assam have assured us to help us.”“We are very much hopeful that within the next 4-5 days we will be able to collect this amount and to help the flood-affected people of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat, and Jorhat districts,” he added.Earlier in the day, Sarma attended a screening of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in the Azara Taluk area.Marking Kargil Vijay Diwas, the chief minister paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the conflict.“Today we listened to PM Mann Ki Baat at the Azara Taluk area along with local people. Today is Kargil Vijay Diwas, and I pay my tributes to the martyrs of the Kargil war. I also pay my tributes to Assam’s son Captain Jintu Gogoi, who was also martyred in the Kargil war,” the CM said.(With agency inputs)
