Bihar to seek over ₹10,000 crore from Centre for flood relief

Bihar is preparing to lodge a demand exceeding ₹10,000 crore with the Union government to compensate for damages inflicted by recent flooding that swept through the state. The initial wave of the disaster struck during the first week of September, inflicting widespread devastation across multiple districts.

The floods affected more than 50 lakh people spread across over 2,000 villages in 15 districts of Bihar, making it one of the significant monsoon-related calamities to hit the state in recent months. State authorities have been assessing the scale of destruction to infrastructure, agriculture, and residential properties as part of the damage estimation process.

The anticipated claim of over ₹10,000 crore underscores the severity of the flooding episode and the substantial rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts required across affected districts. The state government's demand is likely to form part of its case for enhanced central assistance under the Disaster Management Act provisions.

Bihar has a history of facing recurring monsoon-related flooding, particularly in its northern and central regions. The state typically seeks central government support for disaster relief and rehabilitation following major flooding events, with the quantum of assistance determined based on damage assessments and available central relief funds.