Kolkata, July 26 -- West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday handed over cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed in the recent Bay of Bengal trawler mishap.
At a programme in Ramnagar, East Midnapore, Adhikari said eligible young members of the bereaved families would be considered for jobs as home guards, civic volunteers or in the local administration, depending on their qualifications.
The mishap claimed the lives of fishermen from East Midnapore, Howrah and Nadia. Families of the three fishermen from Odisha who died in the accident would also receive similar financial assistance through the state government, he said.
Under Mission Vatsalya, orphaned children from the affected families will receive a monthly scholarship of Rs 4,000 until they turn 18. Eligible women will be covered under the Annapurna Yojana, which provides Rs 3,000 a month, while widows and elderly family members will be brought under the relevant pension schemes.
Adhikari directed the BDO of Ramnagar-I block to ensure homeless families receive houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
"The state government is strengthening the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). A 50-member quick response team will be stationed in Digha for rescue operations along the coastal and estuarine belt from Khejuri and Hijli to Udaypur," he said.
He also announced plans to equip trawlers with GPS, modern wireless communication and satellite-based weather warning systems under Sagarmala II and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, reiterating the government's commitment to strengthening coastal infrastructure and improving fishermen's safety.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.