BARA, JANUARY 10 The government in Province 2 has provided assistance to two families who lost their members to lightning strikes in Bara last year. Physical Infrastructure Development Minister Jitendra Sonal handed a cheque worth Rs one lakh to each of the two families in Kalaiya sub-metropolis today. Two women — Aasadevi Mahato, 35, and Halima Khatun,45, of Kalaiya, died when lightning struck them when they were planting paddy seedlings in their field on July 2 last year. Their families received assistance money today. Similarly, in Tribeni, Feta Rural Municipality, Indu Devi Mahato, 30, and Sunarpati Devi Mahato, 40, also perished in a lightning strike. Minister Sonal’s personal secretary Santosh Yadav said aid to the two other affected families would be provided next Friday.