Bhubaneswar: The Union government has promised to release assistance for damage inflicted by severe cyclone Titli and subsequent flood and landslides in 17 districts of Odisha, stated Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday.
The Chief Minister spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday over phone when the former made this assurance. “The Union Home Minister has assured Chief Minister to release the assistance immediately,” a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office said.
In a letter to Singh dated December 13, Patnaik had sought immediate release of Central assistance for the devastation caused by the natural calamity.
Patnaik said ‘‘Titli’’, which lashed Odisha in October and the subsequent flood and landslides, had severely affected a population of 60.31 lakh in 128 blocks spread over 17 districts.
The state government had earlier submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking an aid of Rs 2,023.13 crore against total requirement of Rs 2,779.32 crore for relief and restoration work.
Patnaik had also wrote to the Prime Minister October 18 urging release of an interim assistance of Rs 1,000 crore pending final decision of the High Level Committee headed by Rajnath Singh on the memorandum which was initially submitted by the state government in October.
Meanwhile, the inter-ministerial central team has already made an on-the-spot assessment of the damage during the first week of November, 2018.
The state urgently needed assistance from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as Rs 1,689.13 crore was released for relief and restoration work exhausting the entire amount available in State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
PNN
