Bhubaneswar: Odisha has sought financial assistance of Rs 2,526 crore from the Centre for the damage caused by Cyclone ‘Arnab’ and subsequent floods in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts.
The demand was placed before an eight-member Central team after it completed its field assessment of the cyclone and flood-hit areas and met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, informed Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil.
Apart from this, Odisha has also demanded an additional Rs 10,000 crore as special financial assistance for long-term measures to prevent recurring flood damage.
According to the SRC, the Central team will submit its damage assessment report to the Centre within eight to ten days.
The Central team, led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, visited several flood-affected areas in Gajapati and Ganjam districts to assess the extent of damage to standing crops, irrigation infrastructure, roads, bridges and electricity networks.
During its visit to Ganjam, the team inspected flood-damaged paddy fields, particularly crops that were nearing harvest when the floods hit. It also interacted with affected farmers to understand their losses and difficulties.
The team visited damaged lift irrigation points and breached embankments along the Rushikulya river. It also inspected damaged bridges and roads washed away by floodwaters.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Majhi pointed out that Odisha frequently faces natural calamities such as floods, cyclones and heatwaves, which adversely affect the state’s development activities.
He urged the Central team to recommend assistance not only for immediate relief and restoration but also for long-term measures to minimise the impact of such disasters. The Chief Minister stressed the need to develop cyclone and flood-resistant infrastructure to protect people and ensure uninterrupted development in the state.
Ravi Shankar said the Central team had visited several affected areas in Ganjam and Gajapati districts and witnessed the extensive impact of the floods on people’s lives and property.
In Ganjam, the overflowing Rushikulya river deposited huge quantities of sand and silt across agricultural fields, roads, houses and government offices. He pointed out that several houses had become structurally weak due to the floods, even though they had not completely collapsed.
The team highlighted the need for long-term desilting of the Rushikulya river to address the recurring flood problem and reduce future damage.
The Central team chief also appreciated the Odisha government’s efforts in carrying out relief and restoration work swiftly after the cyclone and floods. He said most roads had been restored for transportation and electricity supply had also been largely restored.