Amphan relief: State to give aid to 6K more affected people, rejects 6,000 false applications

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government is all set to give relief and financial assistance to 6,000 more Amphan affected people in the next three days. It will ensure necessary state government's support to the remaining 0.5 per cent of the genuinely affected people.

"We have reviewed the lists of the Amphan affected people and found that only 0.5 per cent of them have not got the assistance from the state government. As I had assured that no genuinely affected people will get deprived of the same, we have shortlisted 6,000 more people to whom the benefits will reach. Special camps will be organised to give out the same in three days time," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Some mistakes had surfaced in the list of beneficiaries as the state government had taken steps to help people as early as possible after the Amphan caused devastation in 16 districts. Strict steps were taken against those, both government officials and Trinamool Congress workers, found to be responsible for the errors in the list. "We did a query after the mistake had surfaced and received 40,000 applications. As many as 26,000 out of them were already in the lists prepared by district magistrates. While 6,000 applications have been shortlisted as of genuinely affected ones who will be getting the benefits as they were found to be really deprived of the same. We have rejected 6,000 applications as those were made based on false claims," Banerjee said.

She attacked the Opposition political parties for doing politics over stray incidents related to discrepancies on distribution of Amphan relief. "Our only mistake was that we wanted people to get the benefits at the earliest and it led to minor mistakes. But some did unnecessary politics over the same. In the Left Front regime, no one used to get any such support. But we are being criticised when we are trying to support people without any delay," Banerjee said.

Stating that this is not the time to do dirty politics, she further stressed upon the work carried out by the state government to ensure safety of people besides tackling the aftermath of Amphan. Citing an example she said: "Our ASHA workers have relentlessly worked and visited households in the state for 23 crore times to collect information on people suffering from SARI and influenza like illness."

In connection with the Forest department official's raid at athlete Swapna Burman's house, she said: "I believe the athlete to be innocent as she was unaware of the fact that the piece of timbre sold to her was procured illegally. I talked to her over the phone and assured all help. The concerned officer of the department will be transferred."