Patna, September 20 (ABN) National Working President of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav terming the situation of flood and drought in Bihar as serious, demanded the central and state government to provide immediate relief to the affected people and compensate the farmers for the loss of crops.
Mr. Yadav told reporters today that Bihar has been facing floods for the past 28 days, while drought conditions persist in several parts of the state due to insufficient rainfall. He said the state has received less than normal rainfall, and drought is affecting standing crops on millions of hectares. The government should assess the damage caused by drought as soon as possible and provide relief to the farmers.
The opposition leader said that around 5 million people have been affected by the floods. Many people's houses have been damaged and household goods have been washed away. He claimed that relief camps and community kitchens in many places failed to function for a long time. He demanded the government to provide relief materials, food and necessary assistance to the flood affected people.
Mr. Yadav said relief should be provided to the flood-affected people, unnecessary paperwork should be avoided and it should be ensured that relief reaches the needy. He further said that in the event of a calamity, state resources should be primarily used to help the affected people.
The Leader of Opposition said that during the previous Grand Alliance government arrangements were made to use the contingency fund in case of any calamity. He demanded that the government make public the current status of the emergency fund and the amount available for flood relief.
About 150,000 hectares of paddy, maize, vegetable and banana crops have been affected by the floods, Mr. Yadav said. He demanded an immediate survey of the damaged crops and adequate compensation to the farmers. He noted that after his letter and repeated concerns, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited Bihar. He demanded that the central government make public the assessment, relief and rehabilitation and flood damage reports conducted during Chauhan's visit.
The RJD leader said Bihar was facing massive floods, and the state should get additional assistance from the central government. He also demanded that the details of Bihar relief from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund and other central resources should be made public.
Mr. Yadav said that the government should clarify its priorities regarding spending on various events and relief works amid the flood situation. He added that there is a need to mobilize massive resources to provide relief to the affected people.
He said that in Bihar, BJP has national president, chief minister, union ministers and a large number of MPs and MLAs. Therefore, the central government should take the initiative to provide necessary relief to the Bihar flood affected areas. The opposition leader demanded the government to provide immediate assistance of Rs 15 thousand to the flood affected families and to conduct an immediate survey to compensate the flood and drought affected farmers. RJD leaders Shakti Singh Yadav and Ejaz Ahmed were also present in the press conference.