Naveen seeks Rs 500 cr package under MGNREGA

Coming to the rescue of millions of people affected by the very severe cyclonic storm Phailin, chief minister Naveen Patnaik has sought a special package of Rs 500 crore under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The demand has been made by the chief minister to the rural development ministry keeping in view the large scale destruction of private and public properties in 18 districts due to the cyclone and the resulting floods.

"For immediate restoration of private property and public utilities and to protect livelihood of affected people, a special package of Rs 500 crore labour budget for 2013-14 under MGNREGA over and above the budget already approved for the fiscal," Patnaik wrote to Union minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh.

The state government has also sought certain relaxations under MGNREGA to enable speedy restoration measures.

The government has suggested that it may be allowed to maintain 60:40 ratio of labour to material at the district level instead of gram panchayat and block levels to facilitate large scale construction of durable assets in the affected districts.

In a separate letter to the Union minister, Patnaik has demanded allotment of at least 300,000 additional houses under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) for rehabilitation of people rendered homeless in cyclone ravaged areas. As many as 419,619 houses have been ravaged.