The Centre on Monday announced release of an additional Rs 1,000 crore to the cyclone-hit Odisha as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This amount would be in addition to the Rs 341 crore that had been provided to the Odisha’s State Disaster Response Force in advance.
As announced by Prime Minister after his aerial survey and review of relief efforts with the Odisha Government, the Home Ministry has announced a further release of Rs 1,000 crore for assistance to the state, the statement said.
In the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha, Odisha Government informed that restoration of Power and Telecommunication infrastructure continue to remain the major priority in the Cyclone affected areas of the State.
Around 50% power restoration has been reported while more works need to be done in Bhubaneswar and Puri. The NEET examination, which was postponed, will now be held on 20th May. Medicines dispatched by the Centre have been received and all measures were being taken to prevent any outbreak of diseases.
Reviewing the relief measures, Cabinet Secretary stressed that power connectivity need to be restored on priority basis as drinking water supply, telephone connectivity and banking operations need electricity.
The option of deploying vehicle-mounted mobile towers, as requested by Odisha, is being explored to provide connectivity in Puri and Khurda.
More than 2,500 gang men are working in Odisha to restore power lines, substations and Steel Ministry has dispatched about 5,500 steel electric poles and another 15,000 will be supplied by 14th May.
Cabinet Secretary directed that more manpower should be mobilized to restore power. He also suggested that mobile service operators need to operationalize their towers in coordination with the State Government.
Ministry of Petroleum informed that majority of petrol and diesel retail outlets are functional and sufficient stocks of diesel and other fuels are available in Odisha.
Three mobile dispensers of Diesel of 6000 liters capacity each are being pressed into service.