Rs 8000 crore will be required for reconstruction: Bihar

PATNA: The Bihar government has said it will require Rs 7000 to 8000 crore for undertaking massive rehabilitation and infrastructure reconstruction efforts in areas ravaged by the devastating flood.

"According to a rough estimation, the state government will require no less than Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 crore for rehabilitation and infrastructure reconstruction work," Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi told the media.

Once the state government accomplishes the task of relief and rescue, it will make actual assessment about the loss on account of crop and infrastructure damage in flood-affected areas, Modi said.

He said that though the Prime Minister had made an immediate grant of Rs 1000 crore to the state government, Bihar was yet to be reimbursed Rs 2165 crore that it had spent on relief and rehabilitation during the last year's flood.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the next of kin of those who died in the floods will get Rs 2.5 lakh of which the state government will give Rs one lakh from the Calamity Relief Fund and Rs 50,000 from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, besides Rs one lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

The government will give compensation for the loss of cattleheads like buffalo, cow and ox at the rate of Rs 10,000 and for goats and sheep the amount will be Rs 1,000.