Tejashwi Yadav seeks 5,000 crore relief package for flood-hit Bihar

Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate financial assistance of ₹5,000 crore for flood-ravaged Bihar, along with a demand to declare the calamity a "national disaster".

In a two-page letter dated Monday, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) National Working President urged the Prime Minister to visit the State immediately and provide all possible humanitarian and other necessary aid.

20 districts under water, thousands trapped

Mr. Yadav asserted that Bihar is currently grappling with the tragedy of severe floods and at least 20 districts are affected, with thousands of people trapped in the crisis. The continuously rising water levels in rivers have caused extensive damage to public infrastructure and resulted in loss of life and property worth thousands of crores.

A large section of the State's population is struggling for basic amenities such as food, clean drinking water, medicines, electricity, cattle fodder, and safe transportation. Mr. Yadav described the flood relief and rescue measures being provided by the NDA government in Bihar as "woefully inadequate, akin to a drop in the ocean".

State government 'helpless, incompetent'

"While the devastating floods have ruined the lives of lakhs of people, the Bihar government, along with the NDA Union Ministers and MPs elected from the state, appear helpless, incapacitated, incompetent, and powerless," Mr. Yadav wrote. He alleged that they have failed to get the Central Government to declare this severe flood a "national disaster" or to forcefully advocate for a special relief and assistance package for Bihar.

The opposition leader alleged that this situation is not merely the result of a natural disaster; it is also the consequence of years of persistent failure regarding response, mitigation, and adaptation strategies within disaster management. Despite the annual recurrence of floods, no significant work has been done towards finding a permanent solution, he mentioned.

Fund diversion alleged

Mr. Yadav further alleged that the state's contingency fund and other financial resources have been diverted to routine government expenses, leading to a severe shortage of funds for relief operations during the crisis. He wrote that disaster relief funds should have been utilised strictly for their designated purposes.

In his letter, he urged the government to provide additional boats and other resources for areas affected by the floods that have been cut off from road connectivity. He demanded the deployment of Army and Air Force helicopters to assist with flood relief and rescue operations in areas where they are needed.

Long-term resilience mission sought

Mr. Yadav argued that to find a permanent solution to Bihar's flood problem, a long-term 'Flood Resilience Mission' should be launched covering river and embankment management, drainage systems, the rejuvenation of water bodies, modern flood forecasting, and effective water management policies and treaties with Nepal, Bangladesh, and other neighbouring countries.

"The people of Bihar are in distress; they require concrete relief and accountability, not politics. I urge the Central Government to avoid any discriminatory treatment towards Bihar and to provide special central assistance, viewing the current crisis as a humanitarian and national responsibility," Mr. Yadav said in the letter.

Source: The Hindu