Mamata Banerjee Announces Financial Aid for Storm-Affected Families in North Bengal

On Friday, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee declared that the state government will provide over 500 families that had lost their homes in the storm that had hit various parts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar with financial support totaling Rs 1.20 lakh.

"We requested authorization from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enable the administration to provide assistance to the homeless individuals. The administration did not receive any approval. At a public meeting in Dinhata, Cooch Behar, Mamata stated, "It was later discovered that provisions exist to extend such assistance to people in case of disaster and thus, the state will pay the first installment to them."

According to sources, those who lost their homes have already received 20,000 rupees from the authorities. Others who experienced partial house damage have been given Rs 5,000.

Later on in the day, Abhishek traveled to Barnish, the most severely impacted neighborhood in Mainaguri, accompanied by a group of prominent party leaders who had been arrested for protesting in Delhi.

"These families' bank accounts will shortly receive the final 40,000 rupees of the first installment—60,000 rupees are paid in two installments. The ECI's refusal to grant approval is regrettable. The MP from Trinamul stated, "I would ask the families to start building their houses."

Since the natural calamity struck the area on March 31, the people of Trinamul—from Mamata to Abhishek to well-known figures in north Bengal—have taken up the responsibility of supporting the impacted population. On the same day, Mamata hurried from Calcutta to the afflicted areas, where leaders assisted the displaced families by working at ground zero.

BJP, however, was a bit behind. The BJP candidate Jayanta Roy was spotted at the district hospital, but there weren't many BJP employees in the impacted areas. About thirteen hours after Mamata's arrival, Suvendu Adhikari, the head of the opposition in the Assembly, paid visits to a few villages.

Observers noted that the prime minister made two trips to the area and only once, in passing, mentioned the catastrophe. In addition, the BJP attempted—but was unsuccessful—in setting up a meeting between the PM and the impacted families for security concerns.

However, Trinamul made an effort to engage with the populace, and today a meeting was organized in Barnish where a delegation of leaders led by Abhishek Banerjee spoke with the people. An observer predicted that this would undoubtedly have political repercussions before to the elections.

Abhishek stated in his address that the ECI had called Delhi police to arrest their delegates rather than giving them permission.

"They were held in a police station for custody. But instead of reaching out to the Center to assist the agitated citizens, the local MP here did not care to do so, he claimed.

The assembly was also addressed by Trinamul leaders Arpita Ghosh, Md. Nadimul Haque, Vivek Gupta, Sudip Raha, Dola Sen, and Santanu Sen.

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