Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured the Bihar government on Friday of all help in relief and restoration work in the thunderstorm-affected districts of the State. Officials said the death toll had risen to 55.
Mr. Singh was speaking to presspersons in Purnia after making an aerial survey of the affected areas along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
He said the storm on Tuesday night had caused heavy damage. “I express my satisfaction with the immediate relief provided by the State government to the affected areas. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited the area immediately and announced a compensation of Rs. 4 lakh to the family members of every victim,” he said.
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Mr. Kumar thanked the Centre for its “quick response.” “I would like to thank the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Finance Minister for their quick response at the time of crisis,” he said. Both Mr. Singh and Mr. Kumar spoke of extensive damage to crops and houses.
Mr. Singh held a meeting with State government officials in Purnia, which suffered the most damage with 38 people killed.
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Union Ministers Radha Mohan Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad and State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi accompanied Mr. Singh during the aerial survey.
The injured are complaining of problems in getting “immediate and proper” medical attention, especially at the Purnia town government hospital.
“A shortage of doctors and nursing staff has made our condition worse here … we just get an injection in the name of treatment,” a patient said.