Flood Fury / Odisha Government Announces ₹110 Crore Flood Relief Package

Bhubaneswar, Aug 3: The Odisha government has stepped forward with a comprehensive relief package worth ₹110 crore to support families affected by the recent floods across the state.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, after conducting an aerial survey of flood-hit areas, directed ministers to oversee relief and rescue operations in various districts, ensuring immediate assistance reaches every affected household.

The government has prioritized flood management, rescue, relief, and rehabilitation on a war footing. CM Majhi emphasized that relief must be provided without delay, while long-term financial assistance will be extended after final damage assessments.

Also read: Odisha Govt Reveals Full Flood Compensation Package

Under the announced package, Gratuitous Relief (GR) will be distributed to all eligible families in flood-affected regions until normalcy is restored. Compensation for damaged houses will be provided from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF):

• ₹1.20 lakh for fully damaged houses
• ₹6,500 for partially damaged pucca houses
• ₹4,000 for partially damaged kutcha houses
• ₹8,000 for destroyed huts
• ₹3,000 for damaged cattle sheds

Farmers have also been assured of support for crop losses. Assistance will be given at ₹8,500 per hectare for non-irrigated land, ₹17,000 per hectare for irrigated land, and ₹22,500 per hectare for perennial crops.

For families who lost loved ones, ex-gratia assistance of ₹24 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of six deceased persons, as per SDRF norms. Livestock owners will also receive compensation:

• ₹37,500 for milch animals like cows and buffaloes
• ₹32,000 for draught animals such as bullocks and horses
• ₹20,000 for calves, donkeys, and mules
• ₹4,000 for goats or sheep

Floods & Impact

The floods have impacted 22 districts, 85 blocks, 15 urban areas, 656 gram panchayats, and 1,458 villages, affecting nearly 8.63 lakh people. Preventive evacuations moved 2.67 lakh people to safer locations.

Relief efforts include 529 relief camps and 31 cattle camps, distributing 41 quintals of rice, 1,115 quintals of flattened rice, 496 quintals of jaggery, 3,869 polythene sheets, and 1,816 metric tonnes of cattle feed.

Rescue operations are being strengthened with 20 ODRAF teams, 7 NDRF teams, and 172 fire service units, totaling 199 rescue squads working round-the-clock.

Senior officials are monitoring the situation continuously, ensuring food, clean drinking water, healthcare, veterinary services, and shelter materials reach affected families.

Preliminary assessments report 6 deaths, 3,567 damaged houses, and 33,458 hectares of crop loss. Relief and rehabilitation work continues intensively in Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur districts, the worst-hit regions. Earlier, the government had already released ₹26 crore in advance assistance to severely affected districts.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the state stands firmly with every flood-affected family, promising sustained relief until conditions normalize.