After skipping Assam, Modi to conduct aerial survey of flood-hit Bihar, 2nd after Gujarat one

As death toll in Bihar floods reached 341, PM Narendra Modi to conduct an aerial survey of the state on August 26.

Patna, August 23: As death toll in Bihar floods reached 341 on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas of the state on August 26. Earlier, on July 25, Modi conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit Gujarat.

After his Gujarat aerial survey, the PM was widely criticised, mostly by the people and opposition political parties of Assam for skipping a visit to the state where floods have created havoc since June.

Thereafter, Modi went on a day-long visit to Assam on August 1. However, he did not conduct any aerial survey of the flood-hit areas and his visit was mostly dedicated to several meetings which he had with various chief ministers of the northeastern states to take stock of floods and landslides situations in the region.

During his Assam visit, Modi had announced a package of Rs 2,000 crore for rescue and rehabilitation of flood and landslide-affected people of the Northeast.

Deputy CM of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday announced about the PM's forthcoming aerial survey of the state, where 1.46 crore people had been affected by the deluge in 18 districts.

"PM coming on 26th Aug for aerial survey of flood affected dists of Bihar (sic)," Bihar's deputy CM said in a tweet.

Bihar's deputy CM added that he had made a request to the PM for a visit to Bihar during a meeting of CMs and deputy CMs of BJP-ruled states in Delhi on Monday. He said during the meeting all BJP-ruled states were asked to contribute to flood relief work in Bihar.

Modi's visit to the state is coming after almost a month when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joined hands with CM Nitish Kumar to form a fresh government in the state.

After Nitish broke away from the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance)--formed during the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections by the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)--the CM's party is fighting internal wars over the issue of aligning with the saffron party.

On Tuesday, Nitish reached Purnea by road from Patna after a helicopter in which he had to travel developed some snag and inspected some flood relief camps.

The CM stayed in Purnea on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he visited Araria, Katihar and Kisanganj to take stock of flood situation in these places.

OneIndia News