Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a tour to survey the flood hit areas in Bihar on Saturday. This is the first time Modi was visiting the state after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar broke the grand alliance and formed the new government in alliance with BJP.
Narendra Modi arrived at Purnea from Delhi, where the Chief Minister of the state Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi welcomed him. PM Modi made the aerial survey of four affected districts – Purnea, Katihar, Kisanganj and Araria accompanied by Bihar CM and Deputy CM.
Following the survey, Modi immediately announced an amount of Rs 500 crore to be given to Bihar as flood relief fund. A meeting was also held after the survey where Modi also announced additional sum of Rs 2 lakh to be given to the families, who lost its members due to the floods and Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured. The PM also instructed to form a team to further make a report on the loss suffered by the people. He also asked the insurance companies to release the insurance fund to the farmers for the loss of crops as soon as possible so that they can get an early relief.
During the meeting Modi assured all the possible help to the state government to help the flood affected regions in Bihar he said that “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.”
Modi was informed that around 19 districts in Bihar were suffering the consequences of heavy rainfalls among which 13 states were in critical condition. As per the latest report, around 418 people have lost their lives due to the floods and more than 1.67 crore people in 19 districts are affected by the natural calamity.
The political visit of the Prime Minister to Bihar is also being regarded as tactful move with a deeper motive as it was coincidently just a day ahead of the ‘BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao’ rally convened by RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. This rally is seen as a platform presented to showcase the opposition unity which is recently being seen too much with a unanimous motive to fight against BJP in the general elections due in 2019.
Modi’s visit just one day before Lalu’s rally is likely to further deflate the already flop show.