The Samajwadi Party State unit on Saturday urged the Centre to provide an interim relief of Rs500 crore to Odisha to take up restoration and livelihood programmes in the Hudhud-affected Koraput, Malkanagiri, Nabarangarpur, Kalahandi, Gajapati and Rayagada districts.
The party submitted a memorandum to Governor SC Jamir urging him to take up the demands with the Centre.The party lamented that while the Prime Minister has declared an interim relief of Rs1,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh he announced nothing for Odisha. “This reflects the step- motherly attitude of the Centre towards the State. Whether it is NDA or UPA at the Centre, Odisha continues to suffer,” it alleged.
The party also demanded that a compensation of Rs2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s relief fund for each family of three persons who died due to the cyclone in the State.Party’s other demands included compensation of Rs30,000 for repair of each house, Rs20,000 for each acre of paddy loss, Rs25000 for non-paddy crops and exemption of bank loans to the farmers.
It further wanted that provisions of free insurance subsidy inputs and interest free bank loans, seeds, fertilizers for the farmers for the Ravi crops.Besides, it demanded that the Centre provide assistance for immediate restoration of electricity, drinking water supply, repair of roads and school and college buildings and health centres and telephone towers in the affected areas. The State has experienced a catastrophe with immense repurcussions and suffering for people.