Centre stands behind storm-hit Bihar, says Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Centre was standing behind storm-hit Bihar in the time of crisis, as the toll in Tuesday's killer Nor'wester mounted to 55 on Friday with 100 people injured.

According to the latest report of the state Disaster Management department, Purnea district bore the brunt of the Nor'wester with 38 deaths.

After conducting an aerial survey along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Purnea, Rajnath Singh said that the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in regular touch with the Bihar government.

"The Centre is fully behind the state government in this hour of crisis. We will provide all necessary help to the state government," said Rajnath Singh, who was accompanied by Ravi Shankar Prasad and Radha Mohan Singh, the two union ministers from Bihar.

Nitish Kumar praised the central government's response.

"Soon after storm hit Bihar, central government, including union home minister, prime minister and finance minister, showed keen interest in taking detailed information about the devastating storm that affected millions," Nitish Kumar said.

To provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of victims of the tropical storm in Bihar, the Bihar cabinet on Friday approved an allo9cation of Rs.1,750 crore, officials said.

Earlier, Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs.4 lakh for each of the families of those killed in the tragedy.