Patnaik increases ex-gratia to Rs 10 lakh for Titli victims

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday announced a hike in the ex-gratia amount from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed during cyclone Titli and resultant floods in Odisha.

Patnaik made the announcement while undertaking an on-the-spot visit to Champapur village under the jurisdiction of Gangabada gram panchayat of Raigada block in the worst-hit Gajapati district.

Earlier, the state government had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the victims.

Now, under the changed circumstances, while Rs 4 lakh would be given from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the remaining amount of Rs 6 lakh would be given from the chief minister's relief fund, an official said.

During his visit, Patnaik spoke to the people who were affected by the calamities like landslides in the aftermath of the cyclone and the floods.

He also gave away land "pattas" to all the 66 families of the Baraghar village, where 15 people were killed in a landslide.

The villagers, who were staying on hilltops, have been provided land at the foothill areas.

Pucca (concrete) houses will be built for the villagers under the 'Biju Pucca Ghara yojona', the chief minister announced.

He also said the state government would take care of the studies of the orphan children.

Two brothers -- Simanchal Bhuyan and Kartik Bhuyan -- who lost their parents in the landslide, would be extended all support till completion of their studies, Patnaik said.

The chief minister also said free kitchen would continue in the village till people are relocated to new places.

During a briefing in Bhubaneswar, State Chief Secretary A P Padhi said at least 52 persons were killed in three districts of Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal during the calamities.

Ten other persons were missing, Padhi added.

While 39 people were killed in Gajapati (the highest in the state), 12 died in Ganjam and one in Kandhamal, he said.

Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi said the toll may increase as reports from four other districts -- Angul, Nayagarh, Cuttack and Keonjhar -- was not included within 52 deaths.

Meanwhile, Padhi said preliminary estimates indicate a loss of about Rs 2,200 crore due to cyclone Titli.