Union Minister Srikant Jena on Saturday expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister on announcement of an interim assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for Odisha for relief and rehabilitation. He also thanked the PM for sanctioning an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the seriously injured persons from the PM’s National Relief Fund.
He said that this is an interim sanction and he expects more funds to come. Jena had met the PM, Union Home Minister and Finance Minister last week and appraised them about the grave situation in many parts of Odisha severely devastated by the Phailin and subsequent severe floods. He told the PM that enormous work is required to reconstruct the damaged infrastructures.
Jena said he had earlier received certain serious complaints regarding irregularities in relief work. He also requested the Chief Minister to immediately convene an all-party meeting to take suggestions from different quarters as relief operation should not get politicised in the greater interests of the people.