PM announce Rs 1000 cr relief for flood-hit Bihar
Terming the floods in Bihar as a "national calamity", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday announced an immediate release of Rs 1,000 crore and 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrains to the state reeling under an unprecedented deluge caused by...
By PTI |
PURNIA : Terming the floods in Bihar as a "national calamity", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday announced an immediate release of Rs 1,000 crore and 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrains to the state reeling under an unprecedented deluge caused by River Kosi.
Singh, who undertook an aerial survey of the four worst affected districts along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, announced a relief of Rs one lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each of victims.
At least 55 people have so far lost their lives while over 25 lakh people in 15 districts have been hit by the impact of one of the worst floods in recent memory with the worst hit being Araria, Supaul, Madhepura and Saharsa.
Singh said the Centre would provide all necessary material and technical assistance to Bihar to prevent further deterioration in the embankments and protective structures.
A high-level team would be set up to co-ordinate matters with Nepal government.
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With an "unprecedented" scale of relief measure required over an extended period, the Centre will procure and supply Tarpaulin tents and GI sheets as per the state government's request. Special IAF sorties will be arranged for providing packaged drinking water. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will together provide 100 additional motorised boars for rescue operations while IAF choppers would be deployed for evacuation.
Singh was accompanied by Union Ministers Shivraj Patil, Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan as well as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Leader of the Opposition Rabri Devi.
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