Bengal to get Rs 100 crore central aid for cyclone centre

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sanctioned Rs 100 crore to the West Bengal government from the PM Relief Fund for constructing 200 multi-purpose cyclone centres in Aila-hit districts. The Prime Minister's decision was intimated to the state government today by National Disaster Management Authority member Sasidharan Reddy.

The sanction was given to start the project immediately. It could also be incorporated with World Bank project soon, Reddy said. Initially work would begin in worst-hit South and North 24-Parganas and East Midnapore districts within a month and would gradually follow in other districts in coordination with the district administration and panchayats, finance minister Asim Dasgupta told reporters. The state government had demanded Rs 252 crore from the National Cyclone and Risk Mitigation Project for the construction of 357 multipurpose cyclone centres for affected people and domestic animals in districts hit by Aila in May, Dasgupta said