Amidst central assistance to the state to mitigate the damage to crops, infrastructure and properties in the state, which was devastated due to the recent catastrophic floods and landslides, the state government has released a package of Rs. 12 crore to the School Education department.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat on Sunday afternoon, the special secretary of Education department, Ravel Hemendra Kumar  during recent devastating flood across Tripura from August 19 to 23,  a total of 861 schools and other educational institutions suffered massive damages with estimated loss of properties of Rs. 262.8 crore.

He said during   catastrophic floods, three students had lost their lives and different accessories including computers, laptops, mid-day meal items and 85,000 also destroyed. So far, the department have distributed 21,552 books to affected students.

Kumar also said that in October and November next, all ration card holders will get 10 kgs of free rice through each ration card as declared by the state’s flood relief package.

In another press meet on Sunday, the director of the Social Welfare and Social Education department, Tapan Kumar Das said that among 10,222 Anganwadi centers, 2029 Anganwadi centers suffered massive damages in recent floods.

During the press meets, director of Education department NC Sharma and director of Food department , Nirmal Adhikari were  also present.

It may be recalled here  that the state government recently announced Rs 564 crore special packages to cope with the recently witnessed catastrophic floods for the first time in over three decades, affecting over 17 lakh people, and leaving 36 people, including women and children, dead.

Over 62,200 houses have been damaged due to the floods from August 19-24. Besides the devastating floods, landslides triggered by heavy rain occurred at 2,066 places damaging houses, crops in vast lands, roads, bridges, electrical infrastructure, fisheries, animal resources, and buildings in all eight districts, especially in Gomati, South Tripura, Sepahijala, and Khowai districts.

State Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Secretary Brijesh Pandey  on September 13 said that 3,873 flood-affected people are still sheltered in 67 relief camps in different districts. He said the Tripura government has decided to provide free ration at the rate of 10 kg per ration card for two months, as announced under the Chief Minister’s Relief package.