Bihar poll run-up: Amid RJD flood focus, JD(U) hopes Rs 960-cr relief will address anger

According to the government, 130 blocks in 16 districts have been hit by flood this year.




As Bihar slowly emerges from the clutches of a now-annual struggle with flood, the government hopes that Rs 962 crore disbursed to 16 lakh flood-affected families will hold it in good stead in the upcoming Assembly polls.

Main Opposition RJD, however, called it “an absolute sham” and questioned whether the funds have actually reached the people, even as Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has made flood-hit areas a special focus area and accused the state government of leaving people to battle the pandemic, economic distress, and now the flood.

Senior state government officials said close to Rs 962 crore has already been transferred to bank accounts of 16.04 lakh people as part of disaster relief in this flood season. Officials at the Disaster Management Department said 4 lakh more people will soon get Rs 6,000 per family, as announced by the government.

According to the government, 130 blocks in 16 districts have been hit by flood this year.

Water Resources Minister and JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar himself “monitors” the relief money reaching people on time. “Earlier, a large part of the money sanctioned would not reach the people. If it did, it would reach them many days later,” he said. “Now, due to a corruption-free system, relief goes straight into people’s accounts, immediately after it is sanctioned.”

RJD targets state govt over flood

Over the last few weeks, RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has toured the flood-hit areas and accused CM Nitish Kumar of abdicating responsibility. He has also mocked Nitish’s “helicopter surveys”, with the party juxtaposing this with Tejashwi being on the ground, with the people. The RJD has also been aggressive on the digital space with images of Tejashwi among the flood-affected people.

While Tejashwi has accused the state government of making no attempt to reach out to the people faced with the double whammy of flood and the pandemic of the state, senior JD(U) leaders said quick distribution of relief money and other measures have seen a mitigation of any public anger against the government. “People in Bihar understand that floods come every year, and there is very little that can be done to stop it. We can only control it,” one party leader said. “They expect us to help when the floods come, and the government has been with the people, giving them financial assistance.

Maintaining that Bihar has 100-per cent coverage in Jan Dhan accounts, this leader said affected people are now assured that money will go “straight into their account” and not be pocketed by a middleman.

Senior RJD leader Manoj Jha, however, said: “This is an absolute sham. Have they seen the scale of devastation? It is overwhelming, and people’s vulnerability has increased manifold. The Nitish Kumar government has been completely conspicuous by its absence. What is the basis of this relief? Who knows if it has actually reached the ground?”

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