MHA Forms Inter-Ministerial Central Team to Assess Flood Damage in Gujarat

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st Sept. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has established an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to evaluate the damage caused by recent heavy rainfall and floods in Gujarat. The IMCT, headed by the Executive Director of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), is set to visit the flood-affected districts in the state shortly.

Gujarat experienced severe flooding between August 25 and 30 due to a deep depression over Rajasthan and Gujarat, which also impacted parts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan with heavy rainfall. In response, the central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has pledged to provide comprehensive support to all affected states.

In August 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a significant decision to proactively deploy IMCTs for on-the-spot assessments of damage caused by natural disasters, without waiting for formal requests from state governments. This year, IMCTs have already been dispatched to Assam, Kerala, Mizoram, and Tripura to assess flood and landslide damage.

The MHA is closely monitoring the situation in Gujarat and other affected states, including Himachal Pradesh, which has also faced heavy rainfall, cloudbursts, and landslides. The ministry is prepared to send additional teams as needed to ensure timely assistance.

In the past, IMCTs were only deployed after receiving a formal memorandum from the state government. However, the proactive approach initiated by the MHA in 2019 aims to expedite the assessment and relief process.