Question : CYCLONE RELIEF

(a) whether the cyclone, Aila, recently hit the State of West Bengal and other parts of the country;

(b) if so, the details of the loss of lives, injuries to persons and damages to properties, State-wise;

(c) whether any Central team has visited the affected areas to assess the damage caused by the said cyclone;

(d) if so, the details of the recommendations of the team and follow-up action taken thereon;

(e) whether the affected State Governments urged Union Government to treat this cyclone as natural disaster to tide over the situation; and

(f) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto alongwith the amount of financial assistance provided so far, State-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN)

(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.43 FOR 07.07.2009 REGARDING “CYCLONE RELIEF”

(a) to (f): Cyclone “AILA”, which hit coastal areas of West Bengal, is reported to have caused severe damage in North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and East Medinipur Districts and in the adjoining Districts.

2. 137 human lives have been lost, over 4 lakh hectares of cropped area damaged and over 5 lakh houses have been severely damaged.

3. Government of West Bengal has sought an assistance of Rs.1743.14 crore. An Inter- Ministerial Central Team visited the affected areas on 6th-9th June, 2009 and submitted a detailed damaged assessment report and recommended assistance from National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF). These recommendations relate to quantum of relief in case of death, damage to houses, loss of animals and food stock as well as damage to agricultural crops and infrastructure in the State.

4. The High Level Committee (HLC) has considered the matter and decided to defer the decision on items relating to housing and road sectors, for want of area-wise details from the Government of West Bengal. (For these two sectors, the State has sought assistance of over Rs.520.00 crore). In respect of the other sectors, assistance of Rs.478.27 crore from NCCF has been agreed. Separately, funds have been released by the Department of Drinking Water Supply and the Ministry of Rural Development under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

5. Cyclone ‘AILA’ has been considered as a calamity of severe nature for assistance under the scheme of NCCF.