Phailin: Parties ask Rs 5,000cr from Centre for rehabilitation

Demanding that Cyclone Phailin be declared a natural calamity in Odisha, at least nine political parties, including the ruling BJD, today urged upon Governor SC Jamir to take up the issue of release of Rs 5,000 crore for rehabilitation and restoration work with the Centre.
"The Union government should undertake the major responsibility of rehabilitation and reconstruction work and send adequate assistance to the state to the tune of at least Rs 5,000 crore. Besides, the calamity in Odisha should be declared as a national calamity," the memorandum said.
A delegation of nine parties comprising members from the BJD, BJP, CPI(M), CPI, Forward Block, NCP, Samajwadi Party, BSP and RPI met Jamir at the Raj Bhavan and proposed an amendment to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms based on which changes could be made in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

The state unit of the CPI(M), which took initiative in putting an united voice over the issue, expressed dissatisfaction over the role of the UPA government after the cyclone.
"The role of the Central government in the post-cyclone period has been deplorable," said CPI(M) state secretary Janardan Pati.
"The Governor has assured us to take up the matter with the Centre," said BJD general secretary Narendra Swain.
Though the state government, in two separate memoranda to the Centre, had demanded Rs 5832.50 crore for assistance from the NDRF, it has received only Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 750 from NDRF and Rs 250 crore from SDRF).