Odisha government demands Centre for release of Rs 1,000 crore aid for cyclone-hit areas

The demand was made at a meeting on Friday when members of the inter-ministerial Central team met the Chief Secretary A P Padhi and other state government officials here after visiting the cyclone, flood and landslide-hit areas in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi said.

The Odisha government has urged the Central team that visited the areas affected by cyclone Titli and the subsequent floods to ensure the release of Rs 1,000 crore as interim assistance to expedite restoration and rehabilitation activities.

The demand was made at a meeting on Friday when members of the inter-ministerial Central team met the Chief Secretary A P Padhi and other state government officials here after visiting the cyclone, flood and landslide-hit areas in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi said.

The Central team was led by Joint Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs S K Shahi.

Sethi appraised the team about the damage caused by the cyclone and the subsequent floods and requested them to ensure the early release of the second instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund, around Rs 390 crore, which is due by December 2018.

He also sought the early release of an advance of Rs 1000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund for restoration and rehabilitation activities.

The damage caused by the cyclone and the floods was estimated to be around Rs 2780 crore, Sethi said.

Around 60.31 lakh people in 17 districts, 128 blocks, 8691 villages, 36 urban local bodies were affected by the cyclone and the flood on October 11 and 12, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)