GANGTOK: Bharatiya Janata Party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra said has said he will raise the issue of budget allocations for the October 2023 Sikkim Floods with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Patra, currently on a three-day visit to Sikkim, refused to answer the question of flood-related compensation in detail when pressed by EastMojo. “I have not gone in depth upon the Union Budget and the allocation of funds for Sikkim flashfloods. I will inform the BJP State President DR Thapa about it in a day or two. I will take up the concern with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,” he replied.
The Sikkim Government had submitted a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) Report to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June. While the Union Finance Minister mentioned budget allocation for flashfloods in Sikkim during her budget speech, the specific amount sanctioned for Sikkim’s flashfloods and GLOF damages was not disclosed. In contrast, Bihar was allocated Rs 11,500 crore.
The MP from Puri constituency in Odisha instead chose to speak about the ‘positives of the Union Budget’.
“Every section of society has found representation in a rightful manner in this budget. Education and skilling have been given special focus, and this budget will determine the future of India,” said Patra.
Sambit Patra also made a series of comparisons regarding budget funding for various sectors in Sikkim during the UPA and NDA governments, highlighting how the NDA government had increased funds for every sector over the past decade.