Bengal may seek 'national disaster' status for bird-flu

The West Bengal government is planning to appeal to the Centre to declare the current bird-flu outbreak as a national disaster.

"We thing the current scenario should be declared as a national disaster, and will appeal to the Centre in this regard," said Rekha Goswami, state minister for Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Self Employment.

She added that the government was trying to get details of the exact number of people affected by the flu so far, as usually in case of poultry farming, individual credit was much more than the self help group operation.

"Generally the livestock department supplies chicken to the SHGs and buy back the adult birds after some time, and it is more the individuals who are exposed to credit for poultry farming. So we are in the process of collecting the exact details in each of the affected blocks," she said.

The minister also said, the banks were required to extend the period of repayment and convert the short term loans into long-term.

"As of now the farmers would not be able to repay the loans and hence it should be treated as long-term loans," said Goswami, while talking with the media.

Meanwhile, Bangiya Gramin Vikash Bank (BGVB), the largest rural bank of the state has announced a special scheme for the flu affected people by which all the outstanding loans would be converted into term loans with a longer period of repayment and also the bank would provide fresh credit to these affected people to help them start fresh production.

"We have issued the circular in this regard and the plan would be implemented in two weeks time," said Ambarisha Nanda, chairman, BGVB.

The bank has an animal and livestock exposure of Rs 250 crore in the state which includes Rs 10 crore in the poultry farming.

"Till now we haven't received any claims as no SGHs have taken credit for poultry farming but there are individuals who have taken general loans to grow chicken," he added.