Cut in drought aid upsets state

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Bhubaneswar: The state government has strongly protested the Centre’s decision to cut financial assistance for drought in 2015 by Rs 214 crore.
Though the Centre had announced a financial aid of  Rs 815crore for Orissa’s drought in 2015 which affected 28 districts, the Ministry of Home Affairs, in a letter to the state January 22 stated that it would provide  Rs 600.52 crore as against Rs 815 crore it had announced earlier.
The Home ministry stated that Rs 215 crore was pending on the state government from the previous year for which it decided to cut 20 per cent of the assistance from the announced amount.
The state government in its reply February 5 this year demanded immediate assistance to the drought-hit farmers of the state.
‘‘Though the Centre announced `815 crore for the drought assistance, till date not a single rupee has been released for the purpose,” a senior officer in Revenue department said.
‘‘We have requested the Centre February 5 to provide the total assistance without deducting the assistance from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).’’
Speaking on the issue, ruling Biju Janata Dal spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said, “We have received no response from the Centre so far. But the manner in which the Centre has revised its drought assistance shows its neglect towards the state.”
The state government will raise its voice against the move and seek immediate release of the assistance to the state, he said.
Reacting to the issue BJP state unit president Basant Panda rubbished Deb’s claim. “The Centre has released Rs 707crore to the state towards calamity assistance of which Rs 47 crore has been released for drought relief,  Rs 100crore towards Phailin and  Rs 560 crore to state disaster relief fund.”
Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Ganeswar Behera said it is a ‘‘mockery’’ of the Centre towards the drought situation in the state. ‘‘The Chief Minister has personally requested the Prime Minister to provide the assistance to the drought-hit farmers. The Congress strongly condemns the callousness of the Centre towards Orissa on this issue,’’ Behera told the media.  PNN