Kosi floods: WB grants $ 220 mn loan to Bihar

Patna: The World Bank on Wednesday granted a loan of $220 million for the rehabilitation of those hit by the 2008 Kosi floods in Bihar.

The money will be used for building 1 lakh houses, 90 bridges and 290 kilometers of road apart from setting up disaster management cells.

Over three million people were affected by the Kosi floods which hit Bihar in 2008. The World Bank is giving Bihar a total loan of $ 1 billion including that for the Kosi rehabilitation over the next five years.

World Bank Chairman Robert B Zoellick arrived in Patna on Tuesday evening on a two-day visit along with the Union Minister for Environment Jairam Ramesh.

Five north Bihar districts - Saharsa, Madhepura, Supaul, Purnia and Araria - were ravaged by the turbulent Kosi during that time.