Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday rolled out several initiatives to extend financial help to fishermen and people associated with animal resources development to overcome the losses they had suffered in Cyclone Amphan.
“One-time financial assistance of Rs 10,000 would be given to 8,007 fishermen whose boats were completely damaged. The assistance is required as they depend on boats for their livelihood,” the chief minister said at Nabanna during a videoconference with the authorities of 16 districts affected by the cyclone.
Nearly 37,000 fishermen whose fishing nets were damaged would also get Rs 1,600 each. Hundreds of fishermen will be paid Rs 5,000 each as their boats were damaged partially.
Besides, the state government will provide Rs 30,000 each to those whose cattle had died in the cyclone. The government has earmarked Rs 37 crore for the purpose.
“Primary reports suggest nearly 9 lakh cattle died in the cyclone. As a large section of rural populace depends heavily on their cattle to earn livelihood, the financial assistance was planned,” said a senior government official.
Moreover, the government will spend nearly Rs 15 crore to help affected poultry owners. “A total of Rs 10 crore will be spent on vaccination, feed and medicine for the cattle and poultry,” said an official.
The state government, the chief minister said, would go for planting of 5 crore mangroves in the Sunderbans.
“The forest department will start the project on June 5, the World Environment Day. On that day, small programmes with three-four participants will be held in all blocks to plant trees. In Calcutta, the civic body has also initiated a project to plant more trees to make up for the losses caused by Amphan,” said Mamata.
The state government had already announced compensation for farmers who had lost crops and those whose homes had been damaged in the calamity.
Mamata praised a number of departments for carrying out restoration works during the post-Amphan period.
“The WBSEDCL has done well… The irrigation (department) has also done well in repairing damaged embankments. The PHE was also working to install tubewell in several areas,” she said.
The chief minister has said there are some blocks in North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas and East Midnapore where supply of electricity could not be restored as many areas are still under water.
“The WBSEDCL was facing problems to take poles to the affected areas because of stagnation of water. Moreover, there is a fear of electrocution in the stagnant water. The WBSEDCL would try to solve the problem at the earliest,” said the chief minister.