Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday transferred over Rs 456 crore directly to the bank accounts of more than 6.51 lakh families affected by the recent flood with an amount of Rs 7000 per family. The CM also directed officials to remain alert as rain is expected in the state in September.
Taking to social media platform X, the chief minister announced, “Today, on August 1, a total of Rs 456 crore 12 lakhs was transferred through DBT as ex gratia relief at the rate of Rs 7,000 per family to the bank accounts of 6 lakhs 51 thousand 602 families affected by the flood.”
“The first right on the state treasury belongs to the disaster victims. The state government is continuously working in the interest of the state’s residents,” the CM added.
Each family hit by the deluge received Rs 7,000 as gratuitous relief, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The amount was transferred at a function held at the official residence of the CM ‘Sankalp’ located on Aney Marg in Patna.
Those who were present in the meeting included Disaster Management Minister Vijay Kumar Mandal, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, Development Commissioner Pratyaya Amrit, Water Resources Department’s Principal Secretary Santosh Kumar Mall and other senior officials of the state government.
Bihar floods
Bihar has experienced significant flooding in recent times, impacting several districts and affecting millions of people. The floods were primarily caused by heavy rainfall in Nepal and the subsequent overflow of rivers like the Kosi, Bagmati, and Ganga. Several districts including Bhojpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar, were heavily impacted.
In Bhagalpur alone, over 6.5 lakh people have been affected. A large number of people in Lakhisarai, Supaul, and Buxar districts have also been impacted by the floods. The Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, and Mahananda, along with all other major rivers of the state, are in spate due to continuous rainfall in their catchment areas.
