No aid received from Centre to fight Bulbul loss: Chandrima

Kolkata: Refuting the claims made by the Central government regarding release of funds to Bengal for the losses incurred due to cyclone Bulbul, the state government on Tuesday, made it clear that the fund was released to State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) by the Centre as a routine process, and was not at all a 'special package' for the cyclone.

"This Rs 415 crore released by the Centre in April 2019, is a routine amount that was sent to SDRF, and it has got nothing to do with Bulbul. No cyclone like Bulbul had taken place in April this year. There was no mention of even 'Fani', and so we can say that it was not sent for that too. The Central government is deliberately spreading lies in a distasteful manner," Minister of State for Health, Chandrima Bhattacharya said. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Derek O'Brien in a statement said: "Incorrect. Stop propaganda. Stop lies, Bengal received Rs 415 crore this year in SDRF as Government of India's contribution in April 2019. It was not sent as relief for Cyclone Fani, but was sent 15-20 days after Fani. Nor was it for Bulbul. It was a regular contribution to SDRF, 2019."

Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India, G Kishan Reddy in his reply to a question on providing relief package and other assistance to the affected states in Parliament had said that in 2019-20, Central's share amounting to Rs 414.90 crore was released for Bengal and Rs 552.00 crore to Odisha under the SDRF by the Central government.