Following is Gujarat government’s official statement on Bihar government flood relief return back issue:

The statement begins

Gujarat government, its people and State Bharatiya Janata Party volunteers are happy they could serve the people affected by the Kosi floods in Bihar in 2008 when they needed it most, Gujarat Government’s spokesperson ministers Jay Narayan Vyas and Saurabh Patel said here today.

In order to help the flood affected people, Gujarat immediately rushed a 63-officials teams equipped with the latest rescue and relief gadgets and materials and also sent 36 doctors, 56 paramedicos, 80 fire brigade men, 15 EMRI-108 ambulances as mobile hospitals, six medical teams which worked there day-and-night for months together. Two special Relief trains, comprising 80 wagons, carrying relief materials worth more than Rs.20-crore, were flagged off immediately afterwards.

Gujarat had sent two special relief trains with 80 wagons filled with relief material worth Rs 20 crore for flood-hit people in Bihar urgently. The government of Gujarat, Gujarat BJP and the people of Gujarat had started flood-relief camps in Bihar and worked there day and night to serve needy people.

Bihar government returned the amount of Rs. 5 crores with the letter sent by Shri Chanchal Kumar, secretory of Bihar CM’s Secretariat which said that, “In year 2008, the government of Gujarat had contributed Rs five crore to Bihar’s Chief Minister relief fund. Because this amount(Rs five crore) was not utilized during Kosi tragedy, it was lying idle in Bihar’s Chief Minister relief fund. In this view, this amount is being returned to you. The cheque number is 879727, dated 12.6.2010.”

Reacting to the Bihar government’s decision returning Rs.5-crore Refief fund after two years, Gujarat’s Health Minister Mr. Jay Narayan Vyas and Minister of State for Finance Mr. Saurabh Patel said that Gujarat just performed its humble social duty and would continue to do so in future during natural calamities in any corner of India.

The ministers said that Gujarat is happy that the state’s humble contribution in the massive rescue and relief operation has been used for flood affected people. Not only that but the interest accrued on Rs. 5 crores has also been utilised for two years for the noble cause.

They recalled how the people from different parts of the state, Gujarat government, and state BJP unit of Gujarat, rose to the occasion on a call given by Chief Minister Narendra Modi to serve the Kosi-hit People.

The statement ends