Cyclone Impact / Odisha seeks Rs 2,526 crore preliminary central assistance for cyclone, flood damage

Bhubaneswar, Nov 5: Odisha has sought preliminary financial assistance of Rs 2,526 crore from the Centre to address damage caused by the recent cyclone and floods in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts, the state's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said on Thursday.

The state has also demanded a special assistance package of Rs 10,000 crore for long-term measures to ensure a permanent solution to recurring cyclone and flood-related problems in the three districts, the SRC informed.

The demands were placed before an eight-member central team following its assessment of the affected areas. The team held discussions with Chief Secretary Anu Garg at Lok Seva Bhawan and subsequently met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Speaking after the meeting, Patil said the Rs 2,526 crore demand was based on preliminary damage assessments received from the three districts.

"It is a preliminary demand. When the damage assessment is completed, the final memorandum will be submitted," Patil said.

He added that the state would submit its final report to the Central Government within 8 to 10 days, after completing the damage assessment.

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According to Patil, the central team observed additional damage during its field assessment. Secretaries of various state government departments also attended the meeting.

The final financial assistance demand will be determined after the detailed assessment is completed.

It can be mentioned here that Cyclone Arnab, a very severe cyclonic storm, made landfall on October 28, near Narsapur along the Andhra Pradesh coast. While the landfall point was in the neighbouring state, the weather system moved inward over southern Odisha, dumping unprecedented rainfall, which triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides across the region.