After assuring 'all possible support' to Mamata Banerjee, PM Narendra Modi announces ex-gratia for Bengal flood victims

PTI photo

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (August 4) announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the family members of the victims who lost their lives in West Bengal floods. PM Modi also announced that those injured in the floods would be granted Rs 50,000 each. 

The announcement from the Prime Minister came at a time when West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee took stock of the situation in at least six flood-ravaged districts of the state. Mamata also visited flood-hit Udaynarayanpur in Howrah district during the day. 

Earlier in the day, Mamata wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to draft a plan for de-siltation and renovation of dams in the region to avoid man-made disasters in the future. Mamata in her letter, held 'unprecedented release of water from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) dams Panchet, Maithon and Tenughat' responsible for the crisis. 

She pointed out that 16 people have died in the flood and lakhs of farmers lost their livelihood. She also noted that houses, bridges and power lines have suffered extensive damage. "Apart from the loss of 16 precious lives, there have been unprecedented displacement, suffering and loss of livelihood of lakhs and lakhs of farmers and people at large causing extensive damage to agricultural crops, fisheries, houses, roads, bridges, power lines and other infrastructure (sic)," she said.

The TMC supremo further said that despite her requests for urgent renovation of DVC assets, and essential de-siltation and dredging of the dams, nothing was done to address the matter.

PM Modi had telephoned Mamata earlier in the day to seek updates on the flood situation in the state, and assured her of central assistance.