People wade through floodwaters with their belongings as they arrive by boat from the flood-affected Nakta Diyara area after the Ganga River’s water level rose, in Patna on Monday, September 8, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, on Monday (September 7, 2026) wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the flood disaster in Bihar, urging him to visit the State immediately, declare the devastating floods a “national disaster,” and provide immediate financial assistance of ₹5,000 crore along with all possible humanitarian and other necessary aid to the State.
In a two-page letter to the PM, Mr. Yadav asserted that Bihar is currently grappling with the tragedy of severe floods and at least 20 districts are affected, with thousands of people trapped in the crisis. He added that the continuously rising water levels in rivers have caused extensive damage to public infrastructure and resulted in loss of life and property worth thousands of crores.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) National Working President also said that a large section of the State’s population is struggling for basic amenities such as food, clean drinking water, medicines, electricity, cattle fodder, and safe transportation.
“The flood relief and rescue measures being provided by the NDA government in Bihar—the country’s poorest and most backward state—are woefully inadequate, akin to a drop in the ocean. While the devastating floods have ruined the lives of lakhs of people, the Bihar government, along with the NDA Union Ministers and MPs elected from the state, appear helpless, incapacitated, incompetent, and powerless. They have failed to get the Central Government to declare this severe flood a “national disaster” or to forcefully advocate for a special relief and assistance package for Bihar,”Mr. Yadav wrote.
He alleged that this situation is not merely the result of a natural disaster; it is also the consequence of years of persistent failure regarding response, mitigation, and adaptation strategies within disaster management. He mentioned that despite the annual recurrence of floods, no significant work has been done towards finding a permanent solution.
“It is a matter of grave concern that the financially strapped Bihar government remains indifferent to assisting flood victims. Disaster relief funds should have been utilised strictly for their designated purposes; however, this year, the state’s contingency fund and other financial resources have been diverted to routine government expenses, leading to a severe shortage of funds for relief operations during the crisis,”Mr. Yadav wrote.
In view of the present situation, he urged the government to provide additional boats and other resources for areas affected by the floods that have been cut off from road connectivity. He demanded the deployment of Army and Air Force helicopters to assist with flood relief and rescue operations in areas where they are needed.
“Ensure adequate arrangements for food, drinking water, medicines, animal fodder, and temporary shelter. Provide special financial assistance to farmers, labourers, livestock owners, and affected families. Conduct an independent review or a CAG audit of the state’s financial and disaster management preparedness, as well as the utilisation and transactions of the State Contingency Fund,”Mr. Yadav wrote.
Long-term ‘Flood Resilience Mission’
He argued that to find a permanent solution to Bihar’s flood problem, a long-term ‘Flood Resilience Mission’ should be launched, and this mission should cover river and embankment management, drainage systems, the rejuvenation of water bodies, modern flood forecasting, and effective water management policies and treaties with Nepal, Bangladesh, and other neighbouring countries.
“Our immediate priority is to save the lives of the citizens of Bihar. The people of Bihar are in distress; they require concrete relief and accountability, not politics. I urge the Central Government to avoid any discriminatory treatment towards Bihar and to provide special central assistance, viewing the current crisis as a humanitarian and national responsibility, “Mr. Yadav said in the letter.
Taking a dig, he added that financial constraints faced by the state government during the crisis must not hinder relief and rescue operations.
Published – September 08, 2026 02:03 am IST
