PM assures Central assistance for flood-hit Bihar; Sonia, Patil visit Assam

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured the Bihar Government of full assistance from the Centre to overcome the damage caused by floods in the state.

New Delhi/Patna/Guwahati, Aug 7 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured the Bihar Government of full assistance from the Centre to overcome the damage caused by floods in the state.

Singh expressed concern over the grim situation during a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Taking stock of the situation, Singh told Kumar that central assistance would be provided for the flood-hit areas.

Meanwhile, Congress party president and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil made an aerial survey of flood-affected Dhemaji district in Assam by an air force helicopter.

They later interacted with the affected people of the district at relief camps for about 30 minutes, where they urged Sonia to ensure their rehabilitation.

She asked Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to ensure that the authorities provide adequate relief to the affected people.

Congress party General Secretary in charge of Assam Digvijay Singh also accompanied Sonia and Patil.

Floods continued to spread havoc in the eastern part of the country, as several districts in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam remained inundated and water levels of rivers continued to rise at an alarming rate.

Incessant monsoon rains over the past weeks have displaced millions of people, destroying crops and homes in these states.

ANI