Rs 315 crore for flood relief measures in Bihar

The Bihar government today approved Rs 315 crore from the state contingency fund for relief and rescue measures as the flood situation remained grim claiming 64 lives and affecting 33 lakh people spread over 13 districts.
Principal Secretary (Cabinet Coordination) Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters that among other proposals under a 41-point agenda, the state government approved a proposal for expenditure of Rs 26.36 crore for plantation of trees over a length of 627.50 km over three years between 2016 and 2019 on either side of various canals falling under 20 forest divisions.
The state government further sanctioned Rs 23.12 crore for police modernization project this year given by the Centre and another Rs 17.28 as its share, Mehrotra said.

Another proposal for withdrawal and expenditure of Rs 47.70 crore by the Bihar Horticulture Misssion for execution of various horticulture schemes under the centre's MIDH scheme in 2016-17 was approved by the state government, while another demand for Rs. 30 crore for Land and Water conservation programmes in 2016-17 too received approval from the cabinet, the Principal Secretary (Cabinet Coordination) said.
The state government also approved Rs 244 crore for implementation of various road projets in Vashali and Saran districts, he said.
An education department proposal for grant of Rs 181.93 crore for buildings in 2016-17 for eight teachers training colleges and five district education and training institutes under the World Banks' projecte titled 'Enhancing Teacher Effectiveness in Bihar' aimed at strengthening educational institutions and teachers training was given approval by the state government, Mehrotra said.

The state government approved another proposal by the education department for construction of infrastructure for 185 block-level study centres under the above mentioned World Bank project with cost of each structure proposed at Rs 87 lakh, he said.