While Odisha is facing a huge loss because of damages of infrastructure due to natural disasters, commensurate funding support is not forthcoming from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Disaster risk management and financing is a major problem, which is hitting the State Government badly, admit officials in the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management (DoRMD).
There is a huge difference in the amount claimed and amount released by the Union Government to the State, which needs to be addressed, said a senior official.
The State Government has brought the issue with the Union Government in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to official sources, during last ten years, from 2007-08 to 2017-18, at least Rs 7,777.69 crore has been spent for pure relief, repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure and search and rescue operations, including procurement of equipment.
While for pure relief Rs 5,628.49 crore has been spent only Rs1,616.16 crore has been made available for repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) during last ten years.
This much of amount for repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure due to disasters is very low, admit officials.
Take for example the experience of very severe cyclone, Phailin. The State Government submitted two memorandums to the Union Government seeking Rs 5,832 crore of which pure relief demand was Rs1,571 crore and restoration of energy infrastructure was Rs1,048 crore and other infrastructure restoration requirement was Rs 3,212 crore.
However, the State Government ultimately received Rs 1,149.83 crore, which was not only highly insufficient but there was little fund available for repair and restoration of infrastructure.
Similar is the experience in very severe cyclone, Titli, which hit the State recently.
After making loss assessment of damages to public properties and relief measures, which came to Rs 2,770.28 crore, a memorandum was presented to the Union Government seeking assistance of Rs 2,014.09 crore seeking support from the Centre.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik requested the Prime Minister for an advance of Rs 1,000 crore to tackle immediate requirements.
However, no Central aid has come on Titli count and the State Government has already spent more than Rs1,670 crore for rescue, relief and restoration, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Office sources reveal.
The situation was saved due to savings from previous years, which helped in management of Titli as opening balance of State Disaster Response Fund was Rs1,363.74 crore. And the SDRF corpus for 2018 was Rs 865 crore.
So, Rs 2,228.24 crore was made available for taking up rescue, relief and restoration operations in Titli devastated areas.
The State Government has raised the issue with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in this regard saying difference in the amount claimed and amount released to the State needs to be addressed.
Provision of timely assistance is utmost important, points out a senior official.
The Union Government has been urged that the interim assistance is needed to be provided to the affected State to avoid dislocation in relief and restoration till final decision on assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), say sources.
