West Bengal minister visits Amlasole village for first time

The Sabars and Bhumijs of Amlasole village, which hit the national headlines in 2004 following four starvation deaths, were surprised when a West Bengal minister dropped in for the first time in many years.
West Bengal Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mullick found that the villagers did not have ration or BPL cards and no irrigation facilities were there for the small quantity of paddy grown.
Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mullick, who yesterday visited the village, surrounded by the Dalma range in remote and difficult terrain in West Midnapore district, told reporters that many of the villagers did not have ration or BPL cards.
The minister found that the nearest ration shop was three kilometre away and announced that a ration shop would be set up at Amlasole so that villagers did not have to trek three kilometre to Kankrajhore to buy essentials