Kolkata, (Samajweekly) The Covid-19 battle and the after effects of Cyclone Amphan have already wreaked havoc on the state’s overall economic situation. To turn around the economic doldrums, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday introduced a welfare scheme, ‘Krishak Bondhu’, for the farmers, which would support them in carrying out agricultural activities.
“The cyclonic spells have already damaged the agriculture a lot. We will have to ensure that the fields are once again turned cultivable. Most of the agricultural fields have gone under water due to the flood like situation in the districts,” Banerjee said while holding a virtual meeting with five district administrations from the state secretariat Nabanna.
Banerjee said that the distressed farmers should be incorporated in the 100-day work schemes immediately. All the district administrators must ensure that rain water is pumped out of the agricultural fields so that they can resume cultivation in their respective lands.
“Relief funds should be disbursed in the next seven days to those who have been affected in Cyclone Amphan,” Banerjee said.
She said that the expenditure of the state government has increased significantly in the time of Corona crisis while the earnings have gone down significantly in Bengal.
“All monetary compensations to the farmers need to be cleared within next seven days,” Banerjee said, as she asked the district administrations to submit reports on rehabilitation packages offered to the migrant labourers.
