CM Nitish Kumar Announces Rs 7,000 Assistance for Bihar Flood Victims Ahead of Durga Puja

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced financial assistance of ₹7,000 for flood victims in Bihar, benefiting approximately 14.62 lakh people across 17 affected districts. The aid is expected to be disbursed before Durga Puja, with funds likely to be credited to beneficiaries’ accounts by October 9. This announcement follows the Chief Minister’s aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Darbhanga, where he assessed the damage and directed officials to expedite relief efforts.

The Meteorological Department has forecasted rainfall in 12 districts starting October 4, which could worsen conditions for flood victims. Warnings of potential rain and lightning in 20 districts have also been issued for the second day of Navratri. Although the monsoon typically retreats by October 8-10, this year, it is expected to linger until October 15, with above-normal temperatures during this period.

During his visit to Darbhanga, Nitish Kumar monitored the preparation of food packages for flood victims and provided guidance to the Secretary of Disaster Management, District Magistrate, and other officials. He stressed the importance of swiftly delivering relief materials to those affected. Meanwhile, a boat carrying passengers capsized in the Kosi River in Supaul on Friday, but all passengers were rescued by the Disaster Mitra team.

In a separate incident, a bridge in Bhagalpur was washed away due to strong flood currents, cutting off several villages, including Bakharpur, Babupur, and Mohanpur Govindpur, from the block headquarters. While water levels in rivers have receded in northern and eastern Bihar, residents in flood-affected areas continue to face shortages of food, water, milk, and medicine.

The Meteorological Department also reported that rainfall during Navratri is expected to be 30 to 40 percent above normal, with temperatures ranging between 30 and 34 degrees Celsius. Gopalganj recorded the highest temperature in the past 24 hours at 35.9°C, while Patna recorded a maximum of 33.3°C.

Floods have damaged standing crops across 224,597 hectares, with losses exceeding 33 percent on 91,817 hectares. Agriculture Minister Mangal Pandey has instructed officials to assess the crop damage within a week, particularly in the districts of Supaul, Saharsa, Sitamarhi, West Champaran, Raxaul, Shivhar, Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, Chapra, and Gopalganj.