Bihar demands Rs 7,000 crore package

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday assured all assistance to Bihar devastated by floods, which have claimed around 450 lives, but remained non-commital on the state government's demand for a Rs 7,000 crore package to undertake the the task of rebuilding the infrastructure and providing relief to victims.

"I share the concerns of the Bihar government and the pain of the victims. The Centre will extend all help to the state in rehabilitating those rendered homeless and revive agriculture destroyed by the flood," he told reporters after making an aerial survey of worst-hit Darbhanga, Begusarai, Khagaria and Samastipur districts.

The prime minister, who held talks with senior government functionaries, including Chief Minister Rabri Devi, however, remained non-commital on the issue of providing a special package to Bihar for relief and rehabilitation, saying a central team would visit the state on August 3 to assess the extent of damage due to floods.

"It will not not be proper for me to announce a package at this moment. The Centre will go by the recommendations made by the team," he said.

Meanwhile, the state's water resource minister, Jagdanand Singh said Chief Minister Rabri Devi had submitted a memorandum to the prime minister seeking a financial package of Rs 7,000 crore for rebuilding infrastructure and carrying out relief.