Divert part of poll campaign funds for flood relief: Mamata urges Centre
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the central government to divert at least one-fourth of the funds spent for election campaigns for Bengal so that flood management can be done more effectively.
Banerjee, while taking stock of the flood situation in East Burdwan, issued instructions for examining whether the damaged mud houses are in the list of 11 lakh houses to be constructed under Awas Yojana for which the state will start releasing funds from December.
“I will urge all political parties to look into the expenditure that we incur during elections by constructing big lavish buildings or statues. If we get one-fourth of this fund from the Central government, we can control the flood situation in a more effective manner,” Banerjee said.
Jamalpur and Raina II blocks in East Burdwan are the worst affected due to flood. Banerjee directed the Panchayats and Rural Development department to conduct a proper survey of the kaccha houses before December when the state will be disbursing the first instalment for construction of 11 lakh houses under Awas Yojana.
“The survey should also cover the mud houses destroyed by the recent flood and if they are not in the list of the 11 lakh dwellings it should be included. We will try our best to construct more houses depending upon the availability of funds,” she added. She claimed that in the last 13 years, the state government has constructed 50 lakh houses in Bengal under the Awas Yojana scheme. Agricultural lands have also been affected by the flood. Banerjee directed the Agriculture department to conduct a survey and ensure coverage under Banglar Shasya Bima. “I will appeal to the farmers not to worry as the damage to crops will be compensated through Bangla Shasya Bima,” she maintained. The Public Works Department was instructed to survey damaged roads once the water recedes and accordingly take measures for repair. Local MLAs and MPs were asked to extend financial assistance from their respective quotas for road repair in their areas.
Banerjee said: “Bengal is like a boat. When there is heavy rain in Jharkhand we spend sleepless nights, as it releases water to save itself from flooding. DVC is under the Central government and because no dredging is conducted, lakhs of people have been rendered destitute,” she rued. Banerjee visited some flood-affected areas and issued instructions for adequate relief materials. “Everybody should be alert against spreading canards. When you do such hard work, there may be one or two lapses. But we should all stand by the flood-affected people rather than making narratives out of these. Besides the state government’s assistance, the police have also come up with community kitchens in several areas. Assistance is being extended from the party level too. Dry packets of food have been distributed,” she added. Banerjee also visited relief camps at Barjora in Bankura and assured the affected people of all possible assistance. She also asked the administration to be on alert and rehabilitate affected people to relief centres.
DVC’s capacity that was earlier 4 lakh cusec has now come down to only 20 per cent. The Centre is trying to hand it over to a private party,” she alleged. Banerjee will hold an administrative review meeting at Birbhum on Tuesday.
