Mamata Banerjee urges for state-Centre team effort after PM Modi visits Amphan-hit Bengal

After PM Modi's visit to cyclone-hit West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday, urged the Centre to work in tandem with the state government to help those affected. She said that she would receive  Rs 53,000 crores from the Centre and has asked additional aid from the Prime Minister. As of date, 80 lives have been lost due to cyclone Amphan which ravaged through parts of West Bengal and Odisha, before turning to Bangladesh.

Cyclone Amphan: PM to visit affected areas in Odisha, Bengal; to conduct review meetings

Mamata Banerjee on Modi's visit to Bengal

"We've to help people so we've started relief work. I told PM that we'll get Rs 53,000 Cr from central govt regarding food subsidy, social schemes & central schemes wherever our money is there. So I said you try to give some money to us so that we can work in this crisis," she said to reporters.

PM Modi announces Rs 1000 Cr aid to WB; Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for victims of Cyclone Amphan

PM Modi visits cyclone-hit West Bengal

Earlier in the day, PM Modi accompanied by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Ministers of State Babul Supriyo, Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Debasree Chaudhuri landed in Bengal to review the damage done. He also conducted an aerial survey of  Rajarhat, Bhangar, Minakha, Hashnabar, Sandeshkhali 1 and 2, Gosaba, Hindolganj, Kultuli, Kakdwip, Patharpratima, Mathurapur 2, Diamond Harbour and Falta with West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar and CM Mamata Banerjee. He assured that state and central governments stand with the people who have been affected by the cyclone. 

PM Modi announced that the Central government will allocate Rs 1000 crore for advance immediate assistance of West Bengal. Moreover, Rs. 2 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the persons deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the persons who got seriously injured. He also said that a team will be sent by the Central Government to conduct a detailed survey about the damage caused due to the Cyclone and the current situation of the affected areas.

Cyclone Amphan 'more than a national disaster', 60 pc of WB's population impacted: Mamata

Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal

Cyclone Amphan which reported winds up to 190 kmph made landfall at the Digha coast of West Bengal at 2.30 pm on Wednesday, hitting Kolkata a few hours later. There were widespread power cuts in large parts of Kolkata, North 24 Paraganas and South Paraganas. Mobile, internet services and electricity were also down in parts as the cyclone had damaged several communication towers and the electrical grid.

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Portions of several dilapidated buildings came crashing down in Kolkata and other parts of the state. Embankments in Sundarban delta - a UNESCO site - were also breached as the surge whipped up by the cyclone inundated several kilometres of the island. More than five lakh people have been evacuated to safety by the state government.