PM makes aerial survey of flood-hit Bihar

Purnea: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made an aerial survey of flood-hit areas of Bihar and announced Rs 500 crore as immediate relief for the state besides Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died in the deluge. He also said that a Central team would be sent to the state soon to assess the damage caused by the floods, the PMO said.

He asked insurance companies to send their personnel urgently to assess the damage to crops so that farmers could get early relief. The decisions came after the prime minister held a meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi here and senior officials of the state government, following his aerial survey.

The meeting was held at Chunapur Airport of Air Force from where the PM later flew back to Delhi. "After the review, the prime minister promised all possible support to the Bihar government, the PMO said in a statement.

The PM made the aerial survey of four affected districts--Purnea, Katihar, Kisanganj and Araria. The chief minister and his deputy accompanied the PM, official sources said. The PM was told that though 19 districts are affected by floods, damage in 13 districts including Purnea, Katihar, Kisanganj, Araria due to inundation has been immense, the sources said.

Maximum damage has been caused to water resources department. The PM was told that due to breach of embankments and waterways for irrigation, a loss of about Rs 27,00 crore has been accrued by the department. Around Rs 2,000 crore is estimated to have been spent in distribution of relief among marooned population of the state, it came out in the meeting.

Among other things, Modi said the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry would take appropriate action with regard to repair of the damaged roads in Bihar. He said the infrastructure damaged due to the floods would be restored at the earliest with the central help, the statement said.