Malda, Oct 8 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday said his government will provide Rs 1.8 lakh aid each to families whose houses were fully damaged in the floods in Malda district, and Rs 90,000 for partially affected homes.
He announced Rs 242 crore as compensation for 24,595 affected families in Manikchak, Ratua and English Bazar areas of Malda.
Ahead of the Durga Puja festivities, 5,000 most-affected families are also being provided new clothes, mosquito nets, tarpaulins and food, Adhikari said.
Relief camps and community kitchens have been operating in the affected areas, he said, adding that no death was reported due to drowning or snakebite.
Speaking at a flood-relief distribution programme at Raghunathpur here, Adhikari also said that IIT-Kanpur has been tasked with preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for a permanent flood solution in Malda.
“Previous governments did not resolve the flood problem in areas like Bhutni, parts of Ratua and villages in English Bazar in Malda. But we will work out a permanent solution to the flood issue in Malda,” the CM asserted.
Adhikari said he carried out an aerial survey of Bhutni and Ratua for around 20 minutes.
“Proposals have been sent to the Centre seeking over Rs 3,000-crore projects for river erosion control in Malda and Murshidabad. Projects worth Rs 500 crore have been cleared,” he said.
Adhikari told reporters that a 1,400-metre stretch of an embankment was breached, causing water from the river Ganga to enter the affected area.
He said around 2,200 metres of the embankment would be strengthened so that water could flow over it without damaging the structure.
The chief minister asserted that funds would not be a constraint.
Adhikari also said state government employees and teachers will get advance salary with 20 per cent higher dearness allowance (DA) before October 16.
The West Bengal government had in August issued a notification raising DA and dearness relief (DR) to 38 per cent with effect from October 1.
The chief minister also said the government will recruit one lakh people within one year, with the process beginning with 12,000 police personnel.
Appointment letters will be given to the newly recruited personnel on October 12 at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, he said. PTI BSM RBT NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.