MALDA FLOOD SURVIVORS RECEIVE ₹242 CRORE RELIEF AS BENGAL PLEDGES LONG-TERM DEFENCE AGAINST GANGA EROSION
October 9, 2026
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday distributed ₹242 crore in financial assistance to 24,595 families affected by floods and riverbank erosion in Malda district, as the state government stepped up relief efforts in areas devastated by the Ganga’s shifting course.
At a programme in Mathurapur, in the Manikchak block, Adhikari handed over assistance to families whose homes had been damaged or destroyed in the floods and erosion affecting the Bhutni riverine island and parts of Ratua-I block.
Families whose houses were completely destroyed will receive ₹1.80 lakh each, while those whose homes suffered partial damage will receive ₹90,000. The chief minister said the assistance was intended to help affected households recover from the destruction caused by the disaster.
Adhikari acknowledged that flooding and erosion along the Ganga had created persistent difficulties for communities in Malda and neighbouring Murshidabad. He said the state had submitted a proposal worth ₹3,300 crore to the Centre to address the problem and that ₹500 crore had been allocated by the Union government in the current financial year.
The state has also engaged IIT Kanpur to prepare a detailed project report aimed at finding a permanent solution to recurring floods and riverbank erosion. Adhikari said the government would approach other financial institutions for assistance if required.
Ahead of Durga Puja, the government also distributed clothes and ration supplies to affected residents, with the chief minister urging families to participate in the festivities despite the hardships they had endured.
The programme also addressed broader development concerns in the district. Adhikari said 29 villages near the international border had been identified by the Union home ministry for development under the Vibrant Villages initiative, involving around 403 schemes. He added that 353 model villages were also being developed in Malda.
The chief minister called for measures to tackle narcotics, prevent child marriage and address the demands of the Kisan community, which has been seeking Scheduled Tribe status. He announced that the state would establish a development board for the community.
On employment, Adhikari said the government intended to provide jobs to one lakh people during its first year in office. He pointed to the ongoing recruitment of 12,000 personnel into the state police force and said appointment letters and uniforms would be distributed on October 12.
The chief minister later said a 1,400-metre stretch of the Ganga embankment in Bhutni had collapsed, while another 2,200-metre section required repairs. The agriculture, horticulture and fisheries departments have been assigned to assess crop losses and determine compensation.
With paddy cultivation in Bhutni unlikely to be feasible this year, the government is looking at alternative crops, including mustard, kalai and wheat, alongside fish cultivation. Adhikari said the state would extend assistance to affected farmers as it works to address both the immediate consequences of the floods and the longer-term threat of riverbank erosion.
