Patna: Terming as "nautanki" the visit of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to Uttarakhand, a state minister on Friday said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar does not believe in "aerial show off".
"Our Chief Minister (Nitish Kumar) believes in working for genuine welfare of people on ground and not in aerial show off," the minister told reporters.
She also criticised estranged BJP for going hammer and tongs on the state government charging it with ignoring stranded pilgrims in the Himalayan state.
"Instead of sitting on dharna and venting anger against Nitish Kumar government they should have focused on arranging relief for victims from Bihar stranded in Uttarahand," the minister said.
The Bihar Disaster Management minister said that as soon as the government came to know of tragedy in Uttarakhand it went into action mode.
"We have set up a control room, sent a team of officials to Uttarakhand to help those stranded there and arranged for food and transportation of devotees to their homes," she said.
She said as per latest information with the Disaster management control room a total of 611 have been saved while there is no information still about 56 others who had gone to Uttarakhand from the state.
Principal Secretary Disaster Management Vyasji said the state government had offered helicopter service to Uttarakhand but the government said it did not need it.
As per requirement, buses had been sent to the monsoon ravaged state to transport pilgrims to safety.
Vyasji said the state government has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the family of victims from the state.
"We have asked such families to give information about their dear ones through affidavit which would be published in newspaper and in 30 days if no trace of the said person is found compensation money will be paid to the family," the Principal Secretary said.
Opposition BJP had accused the CM of being "insensitive" to the plight of pilgrims and said no help was provided to former minister Ashwani Choubey who escaped death in the Uttarakhand ravage.
PTI
