Patna, (BiharTimes): The Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, said that the farmers who had lost their crops will be paid Rs 4,000 per hectare in the form of input subsidy. This was disclcosed by after a meeting with officials and people’s representatives in Rajgir after the aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of the home district, Nalanda.

The chief minister instructed the principal secretary of water resources development department, A K Sinha, to make a survey of all the embankments and take measures to save the fertile land from the flood. He conceded that the embankments have not been properly protected.

According to the initial estimate made by the disaster management department about 1.08 crore people belonging to Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Saharsa, West Champaran East Champaran, Supaul, Darbhanga, Patna, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Banka, Katihar, Samastipur, Seohar, Khagaria, Gopalganj, Madhepura, Araria and Begusarai have been arrested by the devastating flood.

So far 77 people have lost their lives and crop in 9.18 lakh hectare worth Rs 100 crore have been lost in the flood. At least 70,903 houses were damages.

Meanwhile, reports suggest the the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, and the home minister, Shivraj Patil, are likely to take an on the spot survey of the flood-affected people of Bihar.

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