Kolkata, May 9: In view of cyclone ‘Asani', West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has postponed her three-day programme in Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur districts by a week, a senior official said on Monday. The tour of the chief minister to the two districts, which was earlier scheduled from May 10 to 12, has been deferred by a week and has been rescheduled to May 17-19, he said.

“The districts need to prepare to combat the cyclone, hence the deferment," a statement issued by the Bengal government said. The chief minister will be holding an administrative meeting at Medinipore College ground on May 17 and a party meeting at the same venue on the following day before leaving for Jhargram, the official said. Cyclone ‘Asani’ Raging in Bay of Bengal; Expected To Weaken Without Landfall, Says IMD.

"In Jhargram, she will hold an administrative meeting at around 5 pm. She will also be holding a party meeting there on May 19 before returning to Kolkata," he said. At the meetings, Banerjee will look into the status of different state-run social schemes operational in both the districts, he added.