Complete relief works by November, Nitish directs authorities

Patna, Nov 8 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today directed the authorities to complete the relief works being carried out among flood victims of the state by the end of November.

After reviewing the ongoing relief works at a high level meeting here, Mr Kumar told newspersons that one quintal of foodgrains and Rs 200 in cash were being distributed among 49 lakh flood-affected families.

Farmers, who had lost 50 per cent of standing crops in flood, would get the compensation of Rs 4000 per hectare of their agrarian land, he added.

'' Compensation has already been paid to 85 per cent of the flood victims, while the rest would get it by the the end of this month, '' he said adding a special package of Rs 4200 crore had been sent to the Centre for its approval to reconstruct the damaged houses in flood-hit areas.

A separate package of Rs 11,000 crore had also been sent to the Centre for repairing damaged roads and buildings besides interlinking rivers in north Bihar which would help check the menace of perennial problem of floods in this region.

To raise additional fund for carrying out the relief and rehabilitation operation in flood-affected areas, the Bihar government had sought the clearance of the Centre for floating bonds of Rs 2000 crore, he added.

UNI