Naveen urges Rajnath for early release of ‘Titili’ damage assistance
Bhubaneswar, Dec 13
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to ensure immediate release of the Central assistance to Odisha for undertaking the repair & restoration works in the aftermath of very severe cyclone ‘Titili’.
In a letter to Singh he said, the Severe Cyclonic Storm 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.
“Responding to the disaster, the State Government has taken prompt action to provide required assistance to the affected population and for immediate restoration of the damaged infrastructure and services within the shortest possible time,” he wrote in the letter.
The Chief Minister 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.
“ In my D.0. letter No.UM-01/2018-118/CM dated 18″1 October, 2018 addressed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, I had requested for release of an interim assistance of Rs.1000 crore pending final decision of the High Level Committee on the Memorandum. 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, from the Government of India,” he rued.
The Chief Minister said, 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.
“I, therefore, seek your personal attention in the matter for immediate release of the Central assistance to Odisha for undertaking the repair & restoration works, squaring up the liabilities and smooth management of other disasters,” Naveen urged Singh.
