Cyclone Fani: Centre sanctions Rs 3338.22 Cr to Odisha

New Delhi:  The Narendra Modi government has sanctioned additional Rs 3338.22 crore to Odisha for the relief and restoration works in view of cyclone Fani that wreaked havoc in 11 coastal districts of the state after making landfall on May 3.

The decision was taken at a High Level Committee (HLC) meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in here on Monday.

Official sources said the sanctioned amount is over and above the funds released by the Centre to Odisha earlier which is Rs 1341 crore.

Earlier on April 29, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 340.87 crore days before the onset of Cyclone Fani from SDRF.

On August 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the state to take stock of the damage caused by the cyclone Fani and announced an assistance of Rs 1,000 crore.

In addition, an ex-gratia sum of Rs 2 lakh were provided to next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to seriously injured victims in the Cyclone from PM’s Relief Fund, said an official statement.

Though total loss to the public properties and requirement of fund for relief measures was estimated by the state government at Rs 9336 crores, it had sought an assistance of Rs 5227.68 crores from the National Disaster Response Fund in accordance with the disaster assistance norms.

The cyclone had affected 1.6 crores people and 1.88 lakh hectares of crop areas. A total of 5,56,761 houses have either been fully or partially damaged. As many as 64 people lost their lives and 12 people received grievous injuries. As many as 2650 large animals, 3631 small animals and 53,26,905 poultry birds were killed due to the storm.

While over 15.5 lakhs people were evacuated, the Centre had provided all necessary assistance in restoration of power supply and communication in affected districts, including that of providing necessary stores, gensets, steel poles and skilled manpower.

During cyclone Fani, the Centre had deployed 71 teams of NDRF, 19 columns of Army, 09 Engineering Task Force (ETF), 27 aircraft/helicopters and 16 Ships of Armed Forces for relief and rescue operations, said official sources.

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