The Central Government on Wednesday approved financial assistance of Rs815 crore for drought-hit Odisha from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). The State Government had submitted a memorandum seeking Rs2,199 crore for drought relief to the Centre, in November last year.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said, “We have demanded a total of Rs2,199 crore drought aid in two phases. We are allocated Rs815 crore today. We will request the Centre for an additional drought relief package after the final crop cutting report reaches us within a week.”
In its memorandum, the State Government had maintained that a total of 8,82,770 hectares of farmland in 173 blocks of 25 districts have been affected by drought during Kharif this year and demanded Rs416.274 crore for agriculture input subsidy (as cash incentive), Rs66 crore for conversion of crop loan advance during the Kharif season, Rs52.49 crore for revival of minor irrigation projects, Rs72 crore for provision of fodder, including water supply and medicine in cattle camps, Rs9 crore for strengthening of fodder resources, Rs200 crore as food assistance and Rs24 crore for emergency drinking water supply.
Apart from Odisha, the high-level committee meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh allocated Rs433.77 crore assistance to Andhra Pradesh and Rs1,304.52 crore to Uttar Pradesh to deal with the situation.