Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi briefing the press on flood situation and assistance package at Loka Seva Bhawan
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a Rs 1,000-crore special assistance package for people affected by the recent floods in the state. The package has been announced based on a preliminary assessment of the damage, and the assistance may be enhanced following a detailed and final assessment.
The announcement came after Chief Minister Majhi visited flood-affected areas of Jajpur and Bhadrak districts and reviewed the situation on the ground. He later chaired a high-level meeting on the flood situation and relief measures before briefing the media at Lok Seva Bhawan.
The Chief Minister said the state government is fully committed to restoring normalcy in all flood-affected areas and assured that funds would not be a constraint in rehabilitation and restoration efforts.
Explaining the severity of the situation, Majhi said Odisha has received more than 1,100 mm of rainfall during June, July and August, around 34 per cent above normal and the highest rainfall recorded in the last 25 years.
The Chief Minister said he personally visited several affected villages by road, boat and on foot to assess the situation and interact with affected residents. During his visit, he inspected relief and rescue operations in villages under Kasapa and Tarapada panchayats of Dasarathpur block in Jajpur district and Shyamsundarpur panchayat in Tihidi block of Bhadrak district.
He also inspected the quality of cooked food being prepared at Ramchandrapur School in Jajpur and visited a relief shelter at Dapanaakani School in Bhadrak to review arrangements and enquire about the needs of affected people.
“Our government is a government of the people. No matter what disaster strikes, we are with the people in their times of happiness and distress and will continue to stand by them,” the Chief Minister said.
According to the Chief Minister, flood conditions have affected Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Kendrapara districts. More than 9.40 lakh people across 1,381 villages in 74 blocks have been affected, while over 3.70 lakh people have been evacuated to safer locations.
As many as 550 relief camps have been opened, where cooked food is being provided to affected people. A total of 45 ODRAF teams, eight NDRF teams and 65 Fire Services teams have been deployed across the six affected districts.
Under the Rs 1,000-crore package, farmers who have suffered 33 per cent or more crop damage will receive agricultural input subsidy for up to two hectares. The assistance will be Rs 8,500 per hectare for rain-fed areas, Rs 17,000 per hectare for irrigated areas and Rs 22,500 per hectare for perennial crops.
Affected farmers will also receive financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to purchase paddy and non-paddy seeds, including pulses such as black gram. Required seeds will be made available through both government and private channels. Free vegetable mini-kits will also be provided, while a 75 per cent subsidy will be extended for post-flood pest and disease management.
Financial assistance will be provided for the war-footing repair of damaged lift irrigation points. Support will also be extended to compensate for livestock losses and for the restoration or replacement of damaged boats, fishing nets and ponds.
Eligible farmers who wish to do so will be allowed to convert their short-term Kharif agricultural loans into medium-term agricultural loans, providing them additional time to recover from the losses. The government will also provide Rs 5,000 each for replacing damaged equipment or tools in the handicrafts and handloom sectors and for losses involving raw materials or finished products.
Damaged roads, canal embankments and other infrastructure will be temporarily repaired on a war footing. Following detailed damage assessment, financial assistance will be provided for permanent restoration of affected infrastructure.
Cooked and dry food supplies will continue in flood-affected areas until normalcy is restored. Additional relief rice will also be provided wherever required. Financial assistance will be extended to affected individuals for essential household utensils, other necessary items and clothing.
Chief Minister Majhi reiterated that the government would take all necessary measures to restore normal conditions in the affected areas. He said the administration would continue relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations until the situation stabilises.
The high-level meeting held before the media briefing was attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, Chief Secretary, Development Commissioner, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department, senior officials of various departments and the Special Relief Commissioner.
