Bihar Govt should submit memo to Centre on flood damage: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Patna, Aug 29: Stating that the Centre will provide all kind of help to Bihar to deal with the flood situation, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today asked the state government to submit a memorandum at the earliest on the damages caused by floods in the state.

"Bihar government should get the survey done and send its memorandum at the earliest to the Centre on damages caused by floods in the state... Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said the government will act immediately after getting the memorandum in this regard," Prasad told reporters here.

The memorandum should have details of crops and houses damaged, list of flood-affected persons and damages caused to bridges, culverts and roads due to the floods, he said.

The Union Law and Justice Minister was talking to reporters after visiting flood affected areas and relief camps in Patna and was accompanied by party MLC Sanjay Mayukh, MLAs Nitin Navin and Sanjeev Chaurasia during the visit.

Stating that the Centre gives Rs 479 crore every year to Bihar for disaster related work, Prasad said the first instalment of Rs 262 crore has already been released in June, while the remaining amount, which is due in December, would be released soon if the Bihar government makes a formal request.

The Prime Minister, who has already expressed profound grief over the loss of lives in the floods, is quick and active vis-a-vis taking action in times of disasters.

He has acted swiftly when there was floods in Jammu and Kashmir and earthquake in Nepal, the Union Minister said, adding "Government of India took proactive role in rescuing people in Bihar floods."

PTI