Malda Training Diary - Administrative Training Institute

To:
The District Magistrate,
Malda.
From: Pradip Bhattacharya,
Asstt. Magistrate,
Malda.
March, 1972.
Page 147 of 147
Subject: Enquiry into Prayer for further Grants by Nandinadaha G.S.
Sir,
In pursuance of your orders, dated 17/2/72, I went on 2/3/72 to Nandinadaha Gram
Sabha, Chandpur Anchal, Bamongola Block, and enquired into the basis for of their petition
for further H.B. grants, Cattle-buying grants, G.R., and setting up of river-pumps. What I
could gather is as follows:-
1. Haripal village is utterly devastated by the floods, and nothing less than Rs 100 per family
will be of any use as H.B. grant. In the other villages, like Rangamati and Nandinadaha, the
devastation has been less as they are comparatively on higher ground though situated right on
the banks of the Punarbhava. Here Rs.50 per family should be enough.
I would like to emphasize that on no account should blanket cent-per-cent grants be
given, as this only results in cutting down the amount of the grant to ridiculous extents and
this does not help in any way to rebuild houses, but only makes people more anxious for
further relief.
Another consideration is that this area is extremely vulnerable to floods, being just on
the bank of the river. Hence, loans in cash form to build houses of mud/brick are of purely
temporary efficiency. Instead, they should be encouraged to build houses of bamboo. This
should not be difficult, since they admitted that they built mud walls in order to get protection
from the shooting by Pakistanis prior to the liberation of Bangla Desh. With that danger gone,
they should not be encouraged to re-build mud structures.
2. Another round of G.R. distribution seems quite necessary in view of the fact that all crops
they have sown have been ruined by pests. Strangely enough, none of them has so far thought
of approaching the AEO for help. I also learnt that the AEO has never visited this place, and
that the VLW is also hardly visible, though their absence is no excuse for lack of local
initiative. My impression is that sufficient extension work has not been done in this place to
make the people more conscious of modern scientific methods of cultivation and combating
pests.
3. The prospects for R.L.I. schemes are excellent, with the Purnarbhava just bordering the
village. It would be extremely useful if schemes could be set up at: KHUTADAHA,
TALTOLA, NANDINADAHA, and SONGHAT. H.B. Loans might be distributed, and these
would be most welcome. However, as proposed to the Agricultural Commissioner during his
visit to Malda, provision should be made for waiving the complicated technical requirements
involved in disbursing these loans.
4. The most practical means of affording immediate relief is to begin T.R. schemes is this
area forthwith. I requested the B.D.O. concerned to take steps in this direction as soon as
possible.
5. In the same area, and surrounding regions, excellent crops can be ensured if we can start a
few more R.L.I. schemes from the river Hariya in ADADANGA, ASHRAFPUR,
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