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A high-level committee of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by minister Amit Shah, on Friday approved the release of almost Rs 4,382 crore to six states, including West Bengal, as central assistance for natural calamities they have faced this year.
The funds will be released to West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Sikkim as assistance for the damage caused by cyclones, floods, and landslides.
West Bengal will receive Rs 2,707.77 crore for Cyclone Amphan, which caused widespread destruction in South Bengal districts in late May. Odisha will receive Rs 128.23 crore for the damage that the storm caused. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) criticised the Centre’s decision, saying the amount granted was not enough. TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy said, “West Bengal went through a huge disaster. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also saw the situation. But, the Central government approved a very small amount against the state’s demand.”
On May 23, Modi had announced financial aid of Rs 1,000 crore for West Bengal, and Rs 500 crore for Odisha for immediate relief activities. The state government provided the Centre details of damage worth Rs 1.02-lakh crore. The PM announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of the dead, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. These amounts were over and above the ex-gratia provided through State Disaster Response Fund and the NDRF.
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