Modi announces ₹1,000 crore for cyclone-hit Bengal after aerial survey

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (May 22) announced ₹1,000 crore as immediate assistance for cyclone-ravaged West Bengal after conducting an aerial survey of the state’s affected areas along with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In a video message after reviewing the situation with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Banerjee in Basirhat, North 24 Parganas district, Modi announced
an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh to the families of each of those killed during the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan, and ₹50,000 for the injured. Earlier, Banerjee had also announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the family of each of the deceased.

At least 80 people have been reported killed so far in the state due to the extremely severe cyclone Amphan. Large-scale damage to infrastructure, public and private property was reported from North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts.

Addressing the media after the aerial survey, Modi said, “A team will be sent by the central government to conduct a detailed survey about the damage caused due to cyclone Amphan and the prevailing situation in the affected areas. All aspects relating to rehabilitation and reconstruction will be addressed. We all want West Bengal to move ahead.”

“I assure my brothers and sisters of West Bengal that the entire country stands with you in these difficult times,” he said. “In the month of May (last year), the country was busy with elections but then combated a cyclone that battered Odisha. Now, after a year, this cyclone has affected our coastal areas. People of West Bengal have been worst affected by it.”

Modi also conducted a review meeting in Basirhat with Chief Minister Banerjee, Governor Dhankhar and other state officials. Meanwhile, Banerjee said that the state has suffered losses to the tune of ₹1 lakh crore due to cyclone Amphan and that she has briefed the prime minister in detail about the post-cyclone situation in the state. She contended that the calamity is “more than a national disaster.”

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On his arrival, Modi was received by Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Kolkata Airport. This is the prime minister’s first visit outside the national capital after the coronavirus induced lockdown was imposed on the midnight of March 24.

Modi would later visit Odisha to take stock of the situation there. He is also expected to participate in review meeting there as well where aspects of relief and rehabilitation will be discussed. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would join Modi during the aerial survey of his state.

Earlier, Patnaik spoke to Banerjee and offered to give all support to West Bengal in view of the damage caused by the cyclone.

Cyclone Amphan has left 77 people dead and thousands homeless in West Bengal, battering several parts of the state and washing away bridges and swamping low-lying areas. It also wreaked havoc in Odisha, damaging power and telecom infrastructure in several coastal districts. The extremely severe cyclonic storm has weakened and moved to Bangladesh, the IMD said.

Lakhs of people were rendered homeless as cyclone Amphan cut a path of destruction through half a dozen districts of West Bengal, including state capital Kolkata, on Wednesday night, blowing away shanties, uprooting thousands of trees besides swamping low-lying areas.

Although electricity and the mobile connection was restored in some parts of the state capital and North and South 24 Parganas, two worst-hit districts, large parts of the city continued to remain without electricity as power poles had been blown away and communication lines snapped.

(With inputs from agencies)