Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced on Monday that a central team headed by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would visit the state on September 16 to assess the damage caused by the recent floods.
The announcement came a day after Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav criticised the central and state governments for a perceived tepid response. Yadav said he had written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister requesting a compensation package and special economic assistance, but received no reply. He highlighted that, unlike the swift actions taken in Gujarat after a flood, Bihar has seen no commotion despite more than 50 deaths, thousands of missing livestock and damage worth thousands of crores.
According to the Bihar Disaster Management Department, the floods affected 49.36 lakh people across 88 blocks in 15 districts, including Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Purnea, Arwal and Madhepura.
During a Hindi Diwas programme in Patna, Choudhary thanked the Prime Minister for ordering the formation of the team and stressed the importance of preserving the state’s river system. He spoke of long‑term plans for water management and flood control, and announced a two‑day Hindi Literature Conclave to promote the language and culture of Bihar.
