NDMA sanctions Rs 915 cr for disaster management in Odisha

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has sanctioned Rs 915 crore for Odisha to deal with natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. The fund will be provided from National Disaster Response Fund.

"There is a high power committee in NDMA, to which I belong. The committee has sanctioned an amount of Rs 915 crore for Odisha three days ago," said Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Home minister during 9th Foundation Day ceremony of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) near Cuttack today.

Both the response fund and the force work under the NDMA, which is a part of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The state government had requested Rs 1590 crore from the NDRF to carry out rehabilitation and reconstruction work after Phalin and subsequent floods wreaked severe damage in 18 districts of the state in October, last year.

The Union Home ministry decided to hold the foundation day of NDRF in Odisha because of its exceptional service in evacuating nearly a million people during the Phalin cyclone, touted as the biggest ever evacuation operation anywhere in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union minister said, the Central government would soon approve a proposal of honouring cadets for their exceptional services during disasters.

"We will soon approve a proposal of honouring cadets with medals for their exceptional services during disasters," he said, adding that the service of NDRF personnel during the tropical cyclone was remarkable.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik lauded the efforts and prompt response of NDRF team during Phailin and said the Central agency must assist the state forces in upgrading their capacity to deal with such situation.

"Prompt response of NDRF to people in the danger zone and for relief operation was commendable. We expect NDRF to be more closely associated with us for capacity upgradation of ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force)," he said at the ceremony. Shinde said, an expansion of the force is on the cards. "Currently there are 10 battalions of NDRF. We will add two more battalions in near future to deal with calamities effectively," said Shinde.

The state government said, since Odisha is prone to natural calamities such as floods and cyclone, one battalion of NDRF should be stationed here permanently.

Apart from assistance from National Disaster Response Fund, Odisha has sought Rs 4242.41 crore towards damages due to cyclone from the Central government, and Rs 7769 crore from Planning Commission for cyclone rehabilitation and reconstruction work.