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Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the families of fishermen who lost their lives in the recent trawler accident at sea.
This included financial assistance, government employment, social security benefits and enhanced coastal disaster preparedness.
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Addressing a special assistance programme at Ramnagar in Purba Medinipur on Sunday, the chief minister handed over cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families on behalf of the state government.
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He also assured that eligible young members of the affected families would be considered for employment as Home Guards, Civic Volunteers or in local administrative offices, depending on their qualifications.
“Money can never compensate for the loss of a loved one, but the government has a humanitarian and social responsibility to stand by these families in their time of grief,” Adhikari said.
The chief minister said the tragedy claimed the lives of fishermen not only from Purba Medinipur but also from Howrah and Nadia districts.
He further announced that the families of three fishermen from Odisha who died in the incident would also receive Rs 5 lakh each through the Odisha government.
As part of the rehabilitation measures, Adhikari said orphaned children of the deceased would receive a monthly scholarship of Rs 4,000 until they attain the age of 18 under the ‘Mission Vatsalya’ scheme.
Eligible women from the affected families would be covered under the Annapurna Yojana, receiving monthly assistance of Rs 3,000, while widows and elderly family members would also be brought under the state’s pension schemes.
The chief minister also directed the Block Development Officer of Ramnagar-I to ensure that homeless families affected by the tragedy receive houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Announcing measures to strengthen coastal safety, Adhikari criticised the previous government’s handling of coastal policing, alleging that although several coastal police stations had been established, they lacked boats and essential equipment, delaying rescue operations during emergencies.
To improve disaster response, he said the state government is revamping the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
A 50-member Quick Response Team will be stationed at Digha to carry out rapid rescue operations across the coastal stretch from Khejuri and Hijli to Udaipur.
Adhikari said Principal Secretary of Disaster Management and Civil Defence Rajesh Sinha and Director General Sanjay Singh have been instructed to constitute the team immediately.
The chief minister also announced that under the Centre’s Sagarmala 2 programme and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, fishing trawlers would be equipped with GPS, modern wireless communication systems and satellite-based weather alert mechanisms to improve the safety of fishermen venturing into the sea.
Targeting the previous administration, Adhikari alleged that nearly Rs 4,000-5,000 crore available under the State Disaster Response Fund from the Centre had remained unutilised.
He said the present government is committed to rebuilding coastal infrastructure and strengthening disaster preparedness along the state’s coastline.
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