Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 16 September 2026 held a high-level review meeting on Bihar's flood disaster at the 'Sankalp' Hall of the Chief Minister's residence in Patna, assessing the scale of damage and the state's relief operations. The meeting brought together top officials from multiple departments to brief the central government's representative ahead of a formal damage report to New Delhi.

Scale of the Flood Crisis

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary disclosed that approximately 50 lakh people spread across 88 blocks in 15 districts have been affected by the floods this year. He noted that the state government has been continuously engaged in relief and rescue operations, providing food to around 1.62 crore people through more than 1,000 community kitchens. Basic facilities, he said, have been made operational at flood relief camps across the affected regions.

Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit briefed Union Minister Chouhan on the overall flood situation, while senior officials from the Agriculture, Rural Works, Energy, Health, Public Health Engineering, Water Resources, and Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources departments presented detailed sector-wise reports on damage, rescue operations, and infrastructure impact.

Agricultural and Infrastructure Damage

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan noted that infrastructure and crops had suffered significant damage, with banana, maize, and paddy crops among the worst hit. He added that efforts would be made to provide improved, high-quality seeds for crops such as banana, maize, and litchi, with the stated objective of boosting crop yields, increasing farmers' incomes, and enhancing agricultural export potential.

Roads and other public infrastructure, power supply, health services, and drinking-water arrangements were also flagged as areas of severe disruption during the meeting. Chouhan further assured that flood-damaged houses would be considered for reconstruction under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and that assistance would be extended to 'Jivika Didis' — members of women's self-help groups — in the affected areas.

What the Centre Committed

Chouhan praised Bihar's flood relief response, saying the state had 'set an example in flood management,' and appreciated Chief Minister Choudhary, Deputy Chief Ministers Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, and officials from various departments for their prompt response. He assured that the Centre would extend 'maximum possible assistance' to Bihar based on the findings of the damage assessment, and confirmed that he would brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the state's situation and requirements.

Chief Minister Choudhary expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah for dispatching the central assessment team, and thanked Chouhan personally for conducting aerial surveys and ground inspections of the flood-affected areas.

Damage Report Timeline and Long-Term Solutions

Chief Minister Choudhary announced that a comprehensive assessment of flood-related damage would be completed before Durga Puja, after which a detailed report would be formally submitted to the Central government. He also stressed the need for a permanent solution to Bihar's recurring flood problem, noting that the state's geographical location makes it particularly vulnerable to annual flooding — a challenge that successive governments have grappled with for decades.

The meeting was also attended by Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada, Rural Works Minister Sunil Kumar, Development Commissioner Mihir Kumar Singh, and senior officials including Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Santosh Kumar Mall. With the damage report due before Durga Puja and Centre-state coordination now underway, the coming weeks will determine the quantum of federal relief Bihar receives.