Kolkata: The West Bengal government has sought assistance from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for repairing embankments damaged by Cyclone Amphan that barrelled through the state in May, an official said on Tuesday.The government has sought Rs 1,028 crore in aid from NABARD under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), he said.Also read: Cyclone Amphan Puts Focus Back on Millions Displaced by Climate Disasters“We have received a proposal from the West Bengal government for assistance under RIDF for the repair of embankments damaged by Amphan in the districts of South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore,” NABARD’s chief general manager Subrata Mandal said.NABARD has already provided Rs 145 crore under RIDF to the state for boosting rural infrastructure in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.The agency will also extend an assistance of Rs 270 crore to self-help groups (SHGs) in 12 districts of the state, he said.“The SHGs are facing problems as banks are taking time in providing credit,” Mandal said.Also read: In Photos: Witnessing Cyclone Amphan, and Damage Like We Never ImaginedNABARD has also asked the state government for identification of farmers who have not taken loans so that the agency can work toward providing them Kisan Credit Cards, he said.As special liquidity support, NABARD has already provided assistance of Rs 1,607 crore to West Bengal for farm operations amid the pandemic, it said.The state government has also been urged for capital infusion in regional rural banks, he added.