Kolkata: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
has sanctioned Rs 100 crore to the West Bengal government from
the PM Relief Fund for constructing 200 multi-purpose cyclone
centres in Aila-hit districts.
The Prime Minister's decision was intimated to the
state government today by National Disaster Management
Authority member Sasidharan Reddy.
The sanction was given to start the project
immediately. It could also be incorporated with World Bank
project soon, Reddy said.
Initially work would begin in worst-hit South and
North 24-Parganas and East Midnapore districts within a month
and would gradually follow in other districts in coordination
with the district administration and Panchayats, Finance
Minister Asim Dasgupta told reporters.
The state government had demanded Rs 252 crore from
the National Cyclone and Risk Mitigation Project for the
construction of 357 multipurpose cyclone centres for affected
people and domestic animals in districts hit by Aila in May,
Dasgupta said.
Rebuilding Sundarbans embankments
The West Bengal government On Thursday
said it would acquire 5,963 acres for reconstruction of 834 km
of embankments in the Sundarbans breached by Cyclone Aila.
"The decision has been taken on principle in a cabinet
meeting convened by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for
immediate restoration of the area," state Finance minister
Asim Dasgupta told reporters here.
Dasgupta said that concerned departments including
irrigation, land and revenue and Sundarbans Development
Affairs have been asked to submit reports to the government on
land acquisition and procedures involved.
This decision comes despite the state government
announcing on July 16, during the shelving of the 85 km
Barasat-Raichak Expressway project requiring 3,000 acres, that
it would no longer acquire land.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 19:40