Assam Flood Relief: Over 18,000 Families Await Financial Aid Due to Bank Errors

In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that more than 18,000 families affected by recent floods have not yet received their financial aid due to errors in bank account details. During a visit to the flood-hit Amguri area, he emphasized the need for district administrations to rectify these issues. The government had previously initiated a financial assistance program, providing Rs 15,000 to eligible families. Sarma also addressed concerns regarding the reopening of schools and assured support for students who lost educational materials in the disaster. The state is taking steps to ensure that affected families receive the necessary aid and that educational institutions are rehabilitated swiftly.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 5, 2026, 20:40 IST

Financial Assistance Delayed for Flood-Affected Families

File image of Assam CM wading through waters during his visit to flood hit areas in Sivasagar district (Photo: @himantabiswa/X)

Guwahati, Aug 5: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that over 18,000 families affected by floods in Assam have not yet received the initial financial aid from the state government due to inaccuracies in their bank account information.

During a press briefing while reviewing the situation in flood-impacted Amguri, Sivasagar district, Sarma stated that district officials are currently verifying and correcting the bank details of those beneficiaries whose Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments have been stalled.

He explained, "More than 18,000 accounts are pending deposits because of errors in the account information. District commissioners are addressing these discrepancies."

The Chief Minister noted that many individuals lost their banking documents in the floods, leading to incorrect entries of account numbers and other details.

"If we cannot transfer funds through bank accounts, we will provide cheques or bank drafts instead," he added.

The state government had previously initiated the first phase of financial aid for households affected by the floods, distributing Rs 15,000 to eligible families to assist with the repair and restoration of their homes.

In this initial phase, 62,696 families from the most severely impacted districts received assistance via the DBT system as part of the rehabilitation efforts.

While interacting with residents in Amguri, Sarma addressed requests from families wishing to relocate from flood-prone areas.

"The people of Amguri are asking for their homes to be rebuilt in safer locations. We will take the necessary steps and provide the required support for reconstruction," he stated.

The Chief Minister also discussed plans to restore normalcy in the education sector post-floods.

He mentioned that schools are set to reopen on August 10, but acknowledged that not all institutions would be ready to resume classes immediately due to significant flood damage.

"We will need to make alternative arrangements where necessary, and the district administration will handle this," he said.

Sarma assured that students who lost textbooks, certificates, and other academic materials during the floods would receive government assistance.

"We will reissue all damaged or lost certificates, documents, and textbooks at no cost. We will wait for the situation to stabilize first. Universities have already issued notifications regarding this. Financial aid for textbooks will also be provided on Thursday," he confirmed.

Earlier in the day, the state government began efforts to rehabilitate educational institutions affected by the floods and replace lost learning materials.

Education Minister Ranoj Pegu instructed the Assam State Textbook Production and Publication Corporation to prepare for the immediate resupply of textbooks to impacted students.

In districts severely affected, such as Sivasagar and Charaideo, the government has decided to replace textbooks throughout the districts to ensure students can return to classes without interruption once schools reopen.