Purnea (Bihar) [India], April 1 : Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal criticised the former state government's (RJD) handling of flood relief funds and claimed that a significant portion of funds intended for flood relief and infrastructure development had gone unaccounted for.
He pointed out that Rs 200 crore was allocated for flood relief, and the Mahananda Basin Project 15 years ago was unaccounted for, leaving people to suffer from recurring floods.
Jaiswal praised the central government's recent allocation of Rs 11,000 crore for the Kosi-Mechi Link Project, which aims to provide farmers with irrigation benefits and offer a long-term solution to flood management.
"Fifteen years ago, funds were allocated for flood relief, but nobody knows where the Rs 200 crore went. People continued to suffer from floods as a result," Jaiswal said, emphasising the lack of accountability in the management of disaster relief efforts.
In contrast, Jaiswal applauded the central government's role in assisting the state over the past two years.
"For the last two years, on the request of the Bihar government, the central government has been conducting aerial surveys to see if flood water can be used for irrigation. And then the central government allocated Rs 11,000 crore for the Kosi-Mechi Link Project. Linking the two rivers together will provide irrigation benefits to farmers on more than 7 hectares of land and also provide relief from floods," he said.
Jaiswal further stated, "The roadmap of Viksit Bihar (Developed Bihar) is going to begin from Purnea, with this transformative project marking a major step towards the state's development."
He stressed that the project would offer a solution to both floods and the growing need for agricultural irrigation, signaling a positive shift in Bihar's long-standing flood management issues.
Earlier, on March 30, Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to the people of Bihar to form the NDA government for another five years and said they would work to make Bihar flood-free. The assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled to take place later in the year.
Amit Shah, who was on a two-day visit to Bihar from March 29-30, highlighted the central government's financial assistance for the Western Kosi Canal.
Shah also slammed former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, calling his 1990-2005 tenure an era of "Jungle Raj" and accusing his government of corruption and misgovernance, particularly citing the fodder scam.
Shah also outlined the BJP's initiatives in the agricultural sector, particularly through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), highlighting efforts to boost maize farming and revive closed industries.
In addition to agriculture, Shah spoke about the BJP's commitment to reviving sugar mills and enhancing production in the pulses and oilseeds sectors. He also highlighted PACS's expansion into new business areas.
"We are putting in full effort to restart closed sugar mills. We have also done extensive work in the pulses and oilseeds sectors. Today, all PACS presidents are present here. PACS are now opening pharmacy stores and petrol pumps as well," he stated.