“The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Titli of October 2018 with associated flood and landslides had severely affected a vast population of about 60.31 lakh in 128 blocks under 17 districts of Odisha,” Naveen said in a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Patnaik said the state government has taken prompt action to provide the required assistance to the affected population and for immediate restoration of the damaged infrastructure and services within the shortest possible time.
“The state government has submitted a Memorandum to the Government of India seeking Central assistance of Rs 2023.13 crore against total requirement of Rs 2779.32 crore for relief and restoration measures,” the CM stated in the letter.
“The Inter-Ministerial Central team has already made an on-the-spot assessment of the damages during first week of November, 2018. However, we have not received any assistance so far,” he added.
In the meantime, an amount of Rs 1689.13 crore has been released for relief and restoration measures exhausting the entire amount available in State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and hence, assistance from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is urgently required for replenishing the SDRF and for undertaking the balance works,” the CM said.
“I, therefore, seek your personal attention in the matter for immediate release of the central assistance to Odisha for undertaking the repair and restoration works, squaring up the liabilities and smooth management of other disasters,” Patnaik added.
Prasanta Patnaik