The Centre has drawn up short-term and long-term plans at a cost of about Rs 5,000 crore to meet flood situation in Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam, Union Minister of State for Water Resources Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav said in New Delhi on Wednesday.
"The Water Resources Ministry has earmarked Rs.316.14 crore for launch of immediate measures before the onset of
floods. Bihar, which is affected by floods caused by rivers originating from Nepal, has been allocated a lion's
share of Rs 130.97 crore," he told PTI.
Also see: Heavy rains in Gujarat, over 15,000 evacuated
Yadav, who recently reviewed at Patna the preparations to meet floods, discussed the nitty-gritty of various schemes with MPs from the state in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The meeting was a follow up to the high-level meeting he had held with senior officers of the Bihar government, the Central Water Commission and the Ganga Flood Control Commission on June 18.
"I have given an assurance to the MPs that the Centre is very alert and all possible steps will be taken before the
onset of floods to meet the problem," he said.
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The minister said the immediate measures included precautionary steps like anti-erosion work along rivers Ganga, Gandak, Ghaghra, Bagmati, Kamala, Burhi-Gandak, Kosi and Mahananda at an estimated cost of Rs 80.88 crore.
Breach closure works and de-silting of canals were some other immediate measures, he said, adding that the Central
assistance to his ministry for flood control work has been increased from Rs 184 crore last year to Rs 340 crore this
year.
Also see: Flash floods in Leh; bridges washed away
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