Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today gave a call for reviving the rural economy ahead of the fourth phase of lockdown while announcing new schemes and creating scope for employment in villages.

‘Maatir Shristi’ scheme has been launched in six districts, namely Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, Jhargram, West Burdwan and West Midnapore, wherein 50,000 acres of unused land would be utilised by involving local people for generating activities like horticulture, fish and animal rearing and others.

Around 2.5 lakh people would be benefited from this scheme. Earlier, at a video conference with district magistrates and panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee at Nabanna, Miss Banerjee asked DMs to come up with new ideas and devise innovative ways for undertaking rural development.

The agenda for development should be different for every state as districts have different characteristics, natural resources and demography, she said, adding that if required they may have to work for 14 hours in a day. Under Bangla Awas Yojana, 10 lakh houses will be constructed within next two to three months. Repair and renovation of rural roads have to be completed before Puja, she said.

Miss Banerjee said migrant labourers in the state will be screened and symptomatic people will be tested for coronavirus. The migrant labourers will be given scope of work under the 100 Days scheme but existing workers would be given priority, she added.

“We have to find ways for income and employment generation amidst Covid-19. If villages survive, then only can cities survive,” she said. “If I hear even a single complaint of money laundering or anything I will take legal action. I do not want to hear any complaints either over ration or schemes. It is our determination that we will take Bengal forward,” Miss Banerjee said.

She said that 15 per cent funds has been released to the panchayat samities and zilla parishads for undertaking various development work. Ms Banerjee announced that Bengal would be the first state to start ‘Sentinel Survey’ in all districts for studying the pattern of the Covid-19 outbreak and see the effects of withdrawal of lockdown as well as formulate a strategy to combat spread of the infection.

The state government has extended the corona insurance policy for the frontline workers till July, she added. Miss Banerjee said that the government has managed to give work to MSMEs and SHGs by engaging them to manufacture PPEs, masks and hand sanitisers and thereby not only created employment but also saved 30 to 50 per cent of costs due to local production.

Miss Banerjee yet again slammed the BJP for communalising the coronavirus and said that a few people are trying to incite riots during Ramzan. “Don’t spread fake news. Some political parties are trying to incite riots. Don’t share fake news. Law will take its course,’’ she warned.

Referring to the latest violence in Telenipara in Hooghly, she said, “We will get the list of ones whose houses have been vandalised in Hooghly for arranging compensation. Everyone is equal and we will make sure that no one doing anything wrong is spared.’’