CM Nitish Kumar reviewed flood and drought preparedness and emphasized priority to disaster victims.

Patna, May 20, 2025: In view of potential flood and drought threats ahead of the monsoon season, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday conducted a comprehensive review of the state’s preparedness.

He asserted that disaster victims have the first right over the state treasury, urging all departments to act with urgency and coordination.

The Chief Minister underlined that before November 2005, there was no structured approach to disaster management in Bihar. However, after the formation of his government in 2005, major reforms were implemented to improve disaster response and relief mechanisms.

Nitish Kumar recalls major disaster responses:

Nitish Kumar recalled that during the 2007 floods, around 2.5 crore people across 22 districts were affected, and extensive relief work was carried out.

Similarly, during the Kosi floods of 2008, which impacted 34 lakh people in Supaul, Saharsa, Maadhepura, Purnea, and Araria, large-scale rehabilitation was undertaken, including financial assistance through a World Bank Loan.

In 2016, the government introduced an ex-gratia grant of Rs. 6,000 to flood-affected families, which was increased to Rs. 7,000 in 2023.

A compensation of Rs. 4 Lakh is also provided to families of those who lose their lives in disasters.

Strict instructions to officials:

The Chief Minister directed all District Magistrates and departmental heads to complete flood and drought preparedness by the end of May conduct on-ground assessments and engage with local communities, repair damaged roads and reinforce river embankments to prevent breaches.

He also directed officials to ensure the availability of clean drinking water, adequate healthcare, and relief materials in flood-prone areas, and make prior arrangements to support farmers facing crop losses.

He asserted that during disasters, he and his team regularly conduct aerial surveys and field visits to monitor the situation closely.

Emphasis on proactive measures:

“Given changing climate conditions, we must stay alert and prepared. If every department remains proactive, people will be assured of timely support during crises,” Kumar stated.

He also directed ministers and district secretaries to personally visit their assigned regions by the first week of June to assess ground realities and provide real-time solutions.

During the meeting, which was joined via video conferencing by DMs and SPs from all districts Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Pratyaya Amrit presented the monsoon forecast prepared by the Bihar Meteorological Service Centre.

Amrit mentioned during the meeting that June 2025 is expected to receive below-normal rainfall, and July, August, and September are likely to experience normal rainfall, leading to an overall normal monsoon season in the state.

Amrit informed us that preparations are being carried out as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for disaster readiness.

Also Read: Chirag Paswan met Nitish Kumar to strengthen the NDA strategy for the Bihar elections 2025.

EOM.