Govt must provide additional disaster management funds to states without discrimination: Kharge

Amid natural calamities in various parts of the country, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday, 2 August demanded that the Modi government should immediately provide additional disaster management funds to states without any discrimination.

Kharge also called for improving disaster management and taking steps by adopting a scientific approach to make a solid policy for dealing with the effects of climate change such as floods, heavy rainfall, cloudburst and drought-like situations.

He made the remarks while condoling the loss of lives due to cloudburst and heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand.

"The news of the death of many people due to cloudburst, extremely heavy rainfall and landslide in Uttarakhand is very saddening. According to the information, many people are missing," the Congress president said in a post in Hindi on X.

"We are with the people of Uttarakhand in this difficult time. We have deep sympathies for the victims and we are confident that the rescue work being done by the Army will provide security and relief to the people," he said.

The government and administration are requested to fulfil their responsibility and help the victims with compensation, Kharge said.

"The country is grappling with climate change, where floods, heavy rainfall, cloudburst and drought-like emergent situations have occurred in many states. For this, we will have to take steps by adopting a scientific approach, with the participation of all, by making a solid policy," he said.

"We will also have to improve our disaster management. Positive initiative of the government is necessary for all this," Kharge added.

To deal with these natural calamities occurring year after year, the Modi government should immediately provide additional disaster management funds to the states without any discrimination, the Congress chief asserted.

Fourteen people died and 10 more were injured in heavy overnight rains that triggered flooding and a house collapse as several rivers swelled in Uttarakhand, officials said on Thursday, 1 August.