PM Narendra Modi on Friday, 22 May, announced an advance interim assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for West Bengal and Rs 500 crore for Odisha after the states were ravaged by Cyclone Amphan, leaving at least 80 people dead.
West Bengal was at the forefront of the storm and experienced heavy destruction.
“Under the leadership of CM Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal is doing its bit in fighting the crisis caused by Cyclone Amphan,” he was quoted by PTI as saying in West Bengal’s Basirhat.
Earlier, the PM and West Bengal CM conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas.
Following which, he headed to Odisha to conduct an aerial survey there. He also held a review meeting with the state CM Naveen Patnaik and other state officials.
Modi also announced a Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to be given to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured due to the cyclone.
A team will be sent by the Centre for a survey on the damages and the condition of the affected areas, the PM said, adding, "All aspects relating to rehabilitation and reconstruction will be addressed. We all want West Bengal to move ahead.”
On Friday morning, the PM was received at the Kolkata Airport by CM Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
At the airport, CM Banerjee said that Cyclone Amphan should be treated as a national disaster. "Till now, we have got information that 80 people have died," she was quoted as saying.
‘Entire Nation Stands in Solidarity With West Bengal’
Taking cognisance of the massive destruction that the cyclonic storm Amphan has caused in West Bengal and Odisha, PM Modi tweeted on Thursday saying that authorities are working on the ground to help, adding that, “no stone will be left unturned in helping the affected.”
Stating that he has been seeing visuals from West Bengal, he said, “In this challenging hour, the entire nation stands in solidarity with West Bengal. Praying for the well-being of the people of the state. Efforts are on to ensure normalcy.”
Notably, PM Modi's last visit was to Prayagraj and Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh on 29 February. He is going on a tour after 83 days (almost 3 months), according to ANI.
On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that he had spoken to the Chief Ministers of West Bengal and Odisha and assured all possible help from the Centre.
At least 80 people have died after Cyclone Amphan made landfall in West Bengal on 20 May leaving behind a trail of destruction in Kolkata, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas districts.
The cyclone also flooded the Kolkata airport, where visuals of fallen roof and damaged runaways can be seen.
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