Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will undertake an extensive visit to Bihar on Wednesday to assess the flood situation, inspect crop damage and review relief and rescue operations in affected areas.
During the visit, Chouhan will conduct an aerial survey of several flood-hit areas, interact with affected farmers and residents and hold a high-level meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and senior officials to review the situation and discuss relief measures and assistance required by the state.
A team of senior officials from the Union ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development will accompany Chouhan.
According to his scheduled programme, Chouhan will take a helicopter survey of flood-affected areas in Dighwara and Maner.
He will then travel by road to Terasia and Saraipur villages, where he will inspect agricultural fields to assess crop damage and interact with local farmers to hear their concerns.
Chouhan will subsequently travel via the Gandhi Setu to ‘Samvad’, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Patna, where he is scheduled to arrive around 12:15 pm. He will attend a high-level review meeting with Choudhary and senior officials on flood disaster management, ongoing relief and rescue operations, and assistance for affected farmers.
Earlier, Choudhary had said that a central team led by Chouhan would visit Bihar to assess the flood situation and the damage caused by the inundation.
The assessment comes as the flood situation remains serious in several parts of Bihar. According to official figures, around 49.67 lakh people in 15 districts have been affected. Although water levels have started receding in most rivers, including the Ganga, several rivers continue to flow above their respective danger marks at various locations.
The Centre’s assessment is expected to provide a detailed account of the damage and help determine the assistance required by Bihar for relief, rehabilitation and restoration of damaged infrastructure and agricultural areas.
Chouhan is scheduled to leave Patna around 1:30 pm for Nawabgarhi in Munger, where he will visit a relief camp, meet flood victims and assess the ongoing relief operations.
(IANS Inputs)
