The Centre has vowed to help Nepal in rescue, relief and rehabilitation after the great tragedy and announced that relief camps in Raxaul, in Bihar, will remain operative until needed with better arrangements. This was announced by Union Minister of Fertilizer and Chemicals Anant Kumar here on Wednesday.

Kumar along with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav visited the Bihar districts bordering Nepal and later also met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He said about 34,000 people have arrived in Raxaul from different parts of Nepal and 12,000 of them are in relief camps that are being managed by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

He said he spoke to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and the Railways has agreed to ferry the quake victims from Raxaul to their respective hometowns free of cost. Radha Mohan Singh said he has urged the State Government to ferry the victims from different railway stations in Bihar by buses to their destinations. He said he spoke to the CM who has promised to make the necessary arrangements.

"The best model for the rehabilitation of the quake victim is the Kutch model and under Operation Maitri we will help Nepal till the end," Kumar said, and added that the Centre will continue their help in corroboration with the Bihar Government. He also said that people coming to Bihar through Beerganj should also be provided all the facilities of communication.

The Union Ministers had visited the quake-hit districts here following the instruction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is personally monitoring the rescue and relief works in Nepal and Bihar.

Sushil Modi seemed not to be satisfied with the relief work by the Bihar Government and said so far only 43 buses were sent of which only four have come back with the victims, while neighbouring UP dispatched 150 buses to the affected places in Nepal. He also demanded that Bihar should depute IAS and IPS officials in Kathmandu for coordination and rescue the Biharis stranded there. Modi said many States, including Karnataka, have deputed senior officials there.

CM Nitish Kumar on Wednesday supervised the food packet packaging centre in Bettiah and said since the place was closer to Nepal it was easier to send the materials via Raxaul. Food packets were also being made in Patna and other places and being sent through IAF choppers. Each packet contains two kg of chura (flattened rice), 250 grams sugar, salt, one bottle of mineral water and one liter tetra pack of milk. The blankets and medicines are also being sent, he added. Reacting to criticism by Bihar BJP leaders, the CM said he was least bothered as his attention was on relief and providing medical treatment to the victims.