The Assam government has announced a series of financial relief measures for people affected by the recent floods in Upper Assam, including a one-time grant for damaged Namghars and additional loan support for small retailers in the worst-hit districts.Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said each flood-affected Namghar in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts will receive a one-time financial grant of Rs 1.5 lakh* to help restore community institutions damaged by the floods.The announcement was made along with a package of banking relief measures following a special meeting of the *State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC). The meeting reviewed ways to reduce the financial burden on borrowers in the flood-affected districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat.
The Chief Minister said eligible borrowers in these districts will be allowed to extend the repayment tenure of their bank loans by six months to up to seven years, depending on the category of the loan and the specific requirements of the borrower. The move is expected to provide financial flexibility to families and businesses struggling to recover from flood-related losses.In another relief measure, the government announced additional financial assistance for small traders whose businesses were affected by the floods. Retail shop owners in the affected areas will be eligible for an *additional loan of Rs 10,000* without the need to provide any fresh mortgage or collateral. Sharing the decision on social media, Sarma said, “I convened a special meeting of the State Level Bankers’ Committee to discuss loan repayment of flood-hit consumers.” He added that the decisions were taken to support people facing financial hardship after the disaster.
The relief measures form part of the state government’s broader rehabilitation programme for the flood-hit districts, where thousands of families have suffered damage to homes, agricultural land, businesses and other sources of livelihood. Officials said the assistance is intended to help affected residents restart economic activities while easing immediate financial pressure during the recovery period.
