West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday announced that Rs 1,200 crore would be allocated in the current financial year for the Ghatal Master Plan to mitigate recurring floods.
Adhikari also said steps were being taken for a permanent solution to the long-standing problems of river erosion and floods in the Medinipur region, with the government targeting completion of a major portion of the Ghatal Master Plan by June next year.
The CM was addressing a gathering after paying tributes to Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on his 207th birth anniversary at his birthplace Birsingha in Ghatal of Paschim Medinipur district.
"We will allocate Rs 1,200 crore for the Ghatal Master Plan this financial year. The Centre will provide 50 per cent of the funds, and the state government will bear the remaining costs.
"We will receive some funds from the Disaster Management Department for procuring land for the master plan. We have asked local MLAs to expedite work on the master plan," Adhikari said.
Incidentally, at an administrative meeting held in Kolaghat this June with officials from Purba and Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts, Adhikari had said he had held detailed discussions with Ghatal's Trinamool Congress MP Deepak Adhikari, better known as Dev, on the master plan.
The state government also wants a permanent solution to the long-standing problem, and the administration is working towards that objective, he had said.
Adhikari had also directed officials to make advance preparations to deal with flooding and address the prolonged water-logging problems faced by people of Ghatal and adjoining flood-prone areas.
"Today, while coming here from Mohanpur aboard a helicopter, I conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected area in this region. We have planned what can be done... The work has to be taken forward after Durga Puja, when dry spells start, and a major portion should be completed by next June," Adhikari said.
Several areas in Ghatal have been affected by floods after the recent rainfall.
The chief minister further directed officials to prepare a list of all 'kutcha' houses in the flood-affected areas of Ghatal, and said that Rs 1.8 lakh each has been allocated for the construction of 'pucca' houses.
Officials have also been asked to document the names of farmers whose crops have been damaged in floods, with the government initiating steps to provide them compensation.
"For all the kutcha houses in the flood-affected areas, the district magistrate will prepare a list with the help of the BDOs. The MLAs will cooperate. Inputs will also be taken from the police," Adhikari said.
The Ghatal Master Plan, estimated to be worth around Rs 1,500 crore, is aimed at mitigating recurring floods in the region by improving drainage and channelling excessive water through canals and rivers into the Rupnarayan River.
It covers 11 blocks and five municipalities across Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts, spanning five assembly and three Lok Sabha constituencies. The area covered by the plan is around 1,659 sq km.
It was originally estimated at Rs 50 crore, but the project remained unimplemented for nearly five decades, and its projected cost rose to around Rs 1,500 crore.
Adhikari also criticised the previous TMC government over its "faulty policies", which he said, resulted in West Bengal slipping to the 31st position among states and Union territories in the education sector.
He said West Bengal also ranked very high in child marriage and was competing with Jammu and Kashmir for the dubious distinction.
"Today, because of the previous government's wrong policies, we are not in the top 10 in education... We are at 31st in the country. We are also competing with Jammu and Kashmir in child marriage.
"We have around 60,000 adolescent mothers, of whom 13,000 are in Murshidabad and 9,000 in South 24 Parganas. There are instances in this district (Paschim Medinipur) as well," he said.
Adhikari further said his government was working towards reforms across sectors, including education and culture, and announced a slew of development initiatives for Birsingha.
The CM said the state government would develop Birsingha as a major tourist destination and improve its infrastructure. He also announced a series of infrastructure development projects for the village and allocated funds for them.
Solar lights will be installed along village roads, while the government will improve roads and the infrastructure of the local health centre. Libraries in the area will also be renovated, he said.
"We want to develop this place as an ideal destination. It will happen through work, not words. Roads will be widened, arrangements will be made for overnight stays, a museum and library will be built, and lighting facilities will be provided so that it becomes an attraction for people across India," Adhikari said.
The CM felicitated three students, identified as Nupur Changre, Shreya Adhikari and Tanushree Samanta, for not agreeing to marriage while they were minors.
"I spoke to the three students. They themselves prevented attempts to marry them off while they were minors. They have set an example by following the path shown by Vidyasagar," he said.