The State Government on Wednesday said that it needs Rs 2,225 crore for taking up long-term measures to combat natural calamities like cyclone and flood, besides strengthening the disaster management capacity of the State and sought funding assistance from Union Government, World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the purpose.
Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra, after holding a discussion with a seven-member team of Joint Mission for Multilateral Assistance which visited the State in the aftermath of the recent cyclone, said, “It was estimated that 30,000 houses worth Rs 800 crore are necessary for the fisherman community, besides the need of 100 more cyclone shelters along the coast line worth around Rs 250 crore.”
The team was led by Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, Nilaya Mitash.
“Since, Odisha is highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones, storms and floods, the power infrastructure needs to be made cyclone-proof with replacement of overhead transmission distribution by underground cables in vulnerable areas at the cost of Rs 750 crore,” the Chief Secretary said, adding “around 2,500 hectors of coast line has been proposed to be covered under casuarina plantation at the estimated cost of Rs 25 crore.”
He also stated that around Rs 200 crore was needed for strengthening saline and river embankments at critical places to protect human habitations during flood, besides Rs 200 crore for development of slums in Bramhapur town for strengthening of disaster management capacity to face category-5 type of cyclone.