Disaster management system put in place: Minister

PATNA: Disaster management department (DMD) minister Renu Kumari said on Friday that the government had created a strong support system in the last five years to manage any contingency arising from such disasters as flood, quake, cyclone, drought and boat mishaps.
The minister, who was giving the government’s reply to the debate in the state assembly on her department’s budget, said that a network of support systems created constituted one of the strongest hallmarks of Nitish Kumar government, since it did not exist in the past.
Her reply was part of the House debate on DMD’s demand for Rs 537.42 crore included in the Appropriation Bill for Rs 3,916.76 crore to be drawn from contingency fund to meet the cost of extra expenditure during the current fiscal. While RJD members led by leader of opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui walked out of the House, the remaining members passed the Appropriation Bill by voice vote.
She said GPS devices were installed at every sub-division, which would also be installed at block headquarters later, as advance warning system, adding that Bihar State Disaster Management Authority had also been set up to take care of policy and planning.
Subsequently, deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi tabled the third supplementary budget. It said that Rs 1,091.91 crore would be spent under non-plan heads, Rs 2,460.06 crore on activities under state plan, and Rs 43.80 crore as part of centrally-sponsored schemes, among other heads.