Centre asks Bihar to use state funds first for flood relief
The Centre has rejected Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's request to provide flood relief assistance to the state and has instead directed the Bihar government to spend its State Disaster Response Fund first. Union Minister for Home, Kiren Rijiju has also sought details from the Bihar government on how the available funds have been used to help the flood victims.
The Narendra Modi administration and Bihar Government are at loggerheads, yet again. This time the bone of contention is the flood relief assistance which Bihar government has sought from the Centre to deal with aftermath of massive floods that hit the state this year. The Centre rejecting the request made by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to provide flood relief assistance to the state to deal with the post-flood situation has directed the Bihar government to first spend the funds it has under State Disaster Fund before seeking any kind of central assistance.It may be noted that the Bihar government at present has Rs 1,859 crore in the State Disaster Fund and the Centre has directed it to spend this amount first as relief and rehabilitation for flood victims and compensation to farmers for crop losses. Making its intent clear, Union Minister for Home, Kiren Rijiju has also sought details from the state government on how funds available in the State Disaster Funds have been used for victims of flood.BIHAR CM WRITES TO RAJNATH It may be mentioned that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in first week of November had written a strongly worded letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh requesting for a special flood relief assistance of Rs 4,112  crore to the state to provide relief and rehabilitation to the flood affected victims. In fact the Bihar Chief Minister was also miffed at the fact that despite him meeting PM Narendra Modi and assurance given by the Centre in August that a central team would be sent to Bihar soon to assess the flood losses did not turn up till early November.Also read: More than 33 lakh people affected in Bihar floods, toll reaches 95It is only after this strongly worded letter was shot to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that a central team had come to Bihar on 11-12 November to take stock and assess damage caused to the state because of floods. DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF RS 4,000In fact Bihar government in its own report submitted to the Centre pertaining to losses caused due to floods had made and assessment that the damage caused to the state was in excess of Rs 4,000 crore rupees. In fact in the letter, Nitish Kumar had question the intent of the Central government in providing any kind of financial assistance to Bihar to deal with the huge losses the state has suffered due to recent floods which has affected several districts.