Patna (Bihar) [India], September 15 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary on Tuesday inaugurated an ex-gratia relief distribution program at the 'Sankalp' auditorium at the Public Servants' Residence, transferring ₹579.23 crore via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), providing Rs 7,000 per family directly into the bank accounts of 8,27,472 flood-affected families.
The ceremony took place at the 'Sankalp' auditorium located at the Chief Minister's residence.
During the event, Santosh Kumar Mall, Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management Department, gave a detailed presentation to the Chief Minister regarding the flood-affected areas, relief and rescue operations, and the facilities being provided to the affected people.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister stated that amidst this challenging flood situation, the state government's top priority is to provide immediate relief, assistance, and security to the affected families.
The government stands with the flood-affected people with the utmost sensitivity. No shortcomings will be permitted in the relief and rescue operations, he said.
He stated that approximately 50 lakh people across 15 districts, 88 blocks, 575 gram panchayats, 2,642 villages, and 136 wards in 21 cities of the state have been affected by the floods.
Floodwaters have impacted around 55,000 hectares of land, causing damage to crops. Relief and rescue operations are being carried out rapidly at all levels in the affected areas.
The Chief Minister mentioned that over 1,200 community kitchens are operating to provide food to the flood-affected population. Approximately 1.28 crore meals have been served through these kitchens so far.
He instructed officials to ensure the continuous provision of food, drinking water, medicines, and other essential amenities to people in the affected areas.
According to the Bihar CMO, twenty-one teams from the NDRF and SDRF are actively engaged in relief and rescue operations. He assured that relief and assistance measures would continue until the situation returns to normal, emphasising that the affected people would not be allowed to face any hardship.
The Chief Minister announced that a total of ₹579.23 crore has been transferred today via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the bank accounts of 8,27,472 flood-affected families, at a rate of ₹7,000 per family.
He directed officials to maintain complete transparency in the process of identification and verification of eligible beneficiaries. If any eligible affected family has been left out of the assistance scheme, they must be included in the relief list within a week; no eligible affected family should be deprived of government relief.
He also instructed that recovery and reconstruction work proceed rapidly alongside relief operations, following the theme of "Build Back Better Than Before."
He also mentioned that all recovery tasks, including the provision of agricultural input subsidies, road repairs, and other necessary assistance to affected families and farmers, must be completed within one month.
The Chief Minister directed that the assessment of flood-induced damage be conducted with utmost seriousness and sensitivity, and that assistance be promptly provided to affected families, farmers, and other concerned individuals in accordance with established norms.
He instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive and factual damage report ahead of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's visit tomorrow (September 16).
He emphasised the need to document the actual extent of the damage in affected areas and to prioritise necessary relief and recovery operations. He noted that all departments have worked commendably to provide relief to the people affected by the floods.
The State Government's objective is not merely to provide immediate relief but also to restore normalcy in the flood-affected areas quickly and ensure reconstruction that results in a better situation than before.
The government, administration, disaster management machinery, and all relevant departments are working in a coordinated manner towards this goal. (ANI)
Bihar CM Samrat Chaudhary releases Rs 579.23 cr ex-gratia to over 8 lakh flood-hit families
