Flood Fury / Odisha CM Assigns Four Ministers to Oversee Flood Relief in Eight Districts

Bhubaneswar, Aug 1: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has assigned specific responsibilities to members of his Cabinet to oversee relief and rehabilitation operations in flood-hit districts of Odisha, officials said on Saturday.

The move comes hours after the Chief Minister conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas, where lakhs of people have been displaced by rising waters.

According to the Chief Minister’s directive, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo will supervise relief work in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, while Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida has been entrusted with Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari will monitor operations in Puri district, and Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Rabinarayan Naik will oversee Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar.

Other Ministers have been instructed to act as district in-charges, visiting their respective jurisdictions to ensure proper coordination of relief distribution, rehabilitation measures, and restoration of essential services. The Chief Minister emphasized that ministerial oversight would strengthen accountability and expedite assistance to affected families.
Also Read: Odisha CM Conducts Aerial Survey of Flood-Hit Areas; Aid Packages Soon

The decision reflects the government’s focus on decentralised monitoring of disaster response. With over 8 lakh people impacted and more than 2.6 lakh evacuated to safer places, the administration has deployed ODRAF, NDRF, and Fire Service teams across the state. Relief camps have been set up to provide food, drinking water, medical care, and shelter.

Officials said the Chief Minister’s directive ensures that senior members of the Cabinet remain directly engaged with ground-level operations, reinforcing the state’s commitment to “Zero Casualty” and rapid rehabilitation. The government has already released Rs26 crore from the Disaster Management Fund to support relief efforts.