Key Highlights:

• Bihar CM Samrat Chaudhary transferred Rs 7,000 each to 8,27,472 flood-affected families, totalling Rs 579.23 crore.
• Floods have affected 15 districts, impacting around 49.46 lakh people across 575 Gram Panchayats in 88 blocks.
• 1,260 community kitchens have served around 1.19 crore meals; 13 relief camps currently house 11,060 people.
• 13,121 quintals of cattle feed have been distributed to support affected livestock.
• Several rivers, including the Kosi, Burhi Gandak and Ganga, continue to flow above the danger mark at multiple locations.

A Major Financial Relief Disbursement

The Bihar government on Tuesday extended significant financial relief to thousands of flood-affected families, with Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary transferring Rs 7,000 each to the bank accounts of 8,27,472 eligible families through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The disbursement, totalling Rs 579.23 crore, marks one of the state's largest coordinated relief transfers in response to this year's flood crisis. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary was also present during the programme.

How Beneficiaries Were Identified

The Disaster Management Department prepared the list of beneficiaries based on detailed reports submitted by Circle Officers from the affected districts, before the assistance was transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible families. This direct-transfer approach is designed to ensure that relief funds reach affected households quickly and without the delays or leakages sometimes associated with more traditional disbursement channels.

The Scale of This Year's Flooding

Floods have affected 15 districts of Bihar this year, with major rivers including the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and Punpun aggravating the overall situation. According to government data, 575 Gram Panchayats across 88 blocks have been affected, impacting approximately 49.46 lakh people. The affected districts include Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Purnea, Madhepura and Arwal, spanning a considerable geographic spread across the state.

Community Kitchens Feeding Affected Populations

Beyond direct financial assistance, the government is also operating community kitchens to provide food to people in flood-hit areas. At present, 1,260 community kitchens are functioning across the state, through which around 1.19 crore meals have been served so far, a scale of operation that underscores the sheer number of people who have been left unable to prepare food for themselves due to the flooding.

Relief Camps Providing Shelter and Care

Currently, 13 relief camps are operational across the state, with arrangements made for accommodation, food, medical care and other essential facilities for 11,060 people currently staying in these camps. Notably, the number of community kitchens was recently increased from 1,257 to 1,260, while the number of relief camps was reduced from 15 to 13, a shift that likely reflects some consolidation of relief operations as certain areas see water levels recede, even as others remain under active flood conditions.

Support Extended to Livestock as Well

Relief measures have also been extended to livestock affected by the flooding, with 13,121 quintals of cattle feed distributed in flood-affected areas so far. This attention to livestock welfare reflects an awareness that flood damage extends well beyond human displacement, directly threatening the agricultural and pastoral livelihoods many rural Bihar households depend on.

A Mixed Picture on River Levels

According to reports from the Central Water Commission and the Meteorological Department, the water level of the Ganga is receding at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, offering a sign of localised improvement. However, several rivers across the state continue to flow above the danger mark, indicating that the broader flood situation remains far from fully resolved.

Water levels above the danger mark have specifically been recorded in the Kosi at Baltara and Kursela; the Burhi Gandak at Khagaria; the Ganga at Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna, as well as Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur and in Munger; the Bagmati at Benibad; the Punpun at Sripalpur; and the Ghaghara at Darauli, illustrating that elevated water levels remain a concern across multiple river systems and districts simultaneously, rather than being confined to any single geographic area.

Continued Vigilance Amid Ongoing Relief Efforts

The government is continuing its financial assistance alongside broader relief measures, including food, shelter, medical care and cattle feed distribution, reflecting a multi-pronged response to the crisis. Meanwhile, district administrations are maintaining close surveillance of the flood situation, particularly given that several rivers remain above the danger mark, suggesting that relief operations and monitoring efforts are likely to continue for some time even as the state works through this latest round of financial disbursements to affected families.

Key Highlights:

• Bihar CM Samrat Chaudhary transferred Rs 7,000 each to 8,27,472 flood-affected families, totalling Rs 579.23 crore.
• Floods have affected 15 districts, impacting around 49.46 lakh people across 575 Gram Panchayats in 88 blocks.
• 1,260 community kitchens have served around 1.19 crore meals; 13 relief camps currently house 11,060 people.
• 13,121 quintals of cattle feed have been distributed to support affected livestock.
• Several rivers, including the Kosi, Burhi Gandak and Ganga, continue to flow above the danger mark at multiple locations.

A Major Financial Relief Disbursement

The Bihar government on Tuesday extended significant financial relief to thousands of flood-affected families, with Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary transferring Rs 7,000 each to the bank accounts of 8,27,472 eligible families through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The disbursement, totalling Rs 579.23 crore, marks one of the state's largest coordinated relief transfers in response to this year's flood crisis. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary was also present during the programme.

How Beneficiaries Were Identified

The Disaster Management Department prepared the list of beneficiaries based on detailed reports submitted by Circle Officers from the affected districts, before the assistance was transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible families. This direct-transfer approach is designed to ensure that relief funds reach affected households quickly and without the delays or leakages sometimes associated with more traditional disbursement channels.

The Scale of This Year's Flooding

Floods have affected 15 districts of Bihar this year, with major rivers including the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and Punpun aggravating the overall situation. According to government data, 575 Gram Panchayats across 88 blocks have been affected, impacting approximately 49.46 lakh people. The affected districts include Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Purnea, Madhepura and Arwal, spanning a considerable geographic spread across the state.

Community Kitchens Feeding Affected Populations

Beyond direct financial assistance, the government is also operating community kitchens to provide food to people in flood-hit areas. At present, 1,260 community kitchens are functioning across the state, through which around 1.19 crore meals have been served so far, a scale of operation that underscores the sheer number of people who have been left unable to prepare food for themselves due to the flooding.

Relief Camps Providing Shelter and Care

Currently, 13 relief camps are operational across the state, with arrangements made for accommodation, food, medical care and other essential facilities for 11,060 people currently staying in these camps. Notably, the number of community kitchens was recently increased from 1,257 to 1,260, while the number of relief camps was reduced from 15 to 13, a shift that likely reflects some consolidation of relief operations as certain areas see water levels recede, even as others remain under active flood conditions.

Support Extended to Livestock as Well

Relief measures have also been extended to livestock affected by the flooding, with 13,121 quintals of cattle feed distributed in flood-affected areas so far. This attention to livestock welfare reflects an awareness that flood damage extends well beyond human displacement, directly threatening the agricultural and pastoral livelihoods many rural Bihar households depend on.

A Mixed Picture on River Levels

According to reports from the Central Water Commission and the Meteorological Department, the water level of the Ganga is receding at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, offering a sign of localised improvement. However, several rivers across the state continue to flow above the danger mark, indicating that the broader flood situation remains far from fully resolved.

Water levels above the danger mark have specifically been recorded in the Kosi at Baltara and Kursela; the Burhi Gandak at Khagaria; the Ganga at Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna, as well as Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur and in Munger; the Bagmati at Benibad; the Punpun at Sripalpur; and the Ghaghara at Darauli, illustrating that elevated water levels remain a concern across multiple river systems and districts simultaneously, rather than being confined to any single geographic area.

Continued Vigilance Amid Ongoing Relief Efforts

The government is continuing its financial assistance alongside broader relief measures, including food, shelter, medical care and cattle feed distribution, reflecting a multi-pronged response to the crisis. Meanwhile, district administrations are maintaining close surveillance of the flood situation, particularly given that several rivers remain above the danger mark, suggesting that relief operations and monitoring efforts are likely to continue for some time even as the state works through this latest round of financial disbursements to affected families.