The state disaster management department is preparing for a central team's visit to assess the damage from this year's floods.

The team, expected on October 3 and 4, will submit its report to a high-level committee. The committee comprising senior officials from the finance, home and agriculture ministries apart from departments concerned will then decide on the quantum of help to be given to Bihar.

Bihar has sought a central assistance of Rs 7,636.51 crore from the Centre for the damage from the floods that affected 1.71 crore population spread over 19 north Bihar districts and claimed over 500 lives.

'We are hoping the Centre will look into our demand sympathetically and would release funds as per our demand,' an official in the disaster management department told The Telegraph. 'For now, the state is coping with its own resources. Around Rs 800 crore has been distributed to 13 lakh families.'

Besides, the government has spent on meeting the cost of running community kitchens for the flood-hit people, air-drop of food packets and other relief material.

For the central team visit, the Bihar department has planned to divide the group into two and take one to the Seemanchal region (the most affected region) to see the districts of Kishanganj, Purnea, Katihar and Araria among others. The other team will be taken to Champaran, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga areas.

Some major areas where Bihar requires funds immediately are compensation to farmers and restoration of major and minor roads. Of the total central assistance sought, the state government has asked for Rs 1091.34 crore for crop compensation, Rs 398.26 crore for repairing state highways and major district roads and Rs 1827.58 crore for repairing village roads.

'The government should ensure that crop compensation is provided well in time else the farmers, who lost their kharif crop, will not be able to sow rabi crops early,' said Ranvijay Yadav, a farmer in East Champaran district.