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The Parliamentary Standing Committee on home is likely to push Odisha's case for allocation of funds from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the people affected by the Hud Hud cyclonic storm.
“The Government of India has approved an amount of Rs 399.83 crore for Hud Hud victims but has insisted that the requirement be met from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). But we have urged the central government to allot funds from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). We hope that the Parliamentary panel in its report would recommend fund allocation from the NDRF”, said Special Relief Commissioner (Odisha), Pradipta K Mohapatra.
The Parliamentary panel, after winding up its field visit to Hud Hud affected districts in south Odisha on Saturday, held talks with the state chief secretary G C Pati and other top state officials.
“From our field visit, we have come to know that many of the Hud Hud victims are facing financial problems. There are others who faced problems in getting relief materials. We have communicated the people's problems to the state government. We will see whatever possible help the panel can extend to the people”, said Pradip Bhattacharya, chairman of the panel.
Hud Hud, a very severe cyclonic storm struck the coast near Vishakapatnam on October 12, subsequently advancing towards south Odisha. In its memorandum submitted to the Home ministry, the state government had demanded an assistance of Rs 777.12 crore for restoration and rehabilitation work in 22 districts affected by Hudhud.
The memorandum detailed the assistance sought under different heads- repair of roads & bridges (Rs 374.31 crore), restoration of power supply (Rs 104.35 crore), agriculture input subsidy (Rs 23.77 crore), repair of rural/urbna drinking water system (Rs 85.65 crore), repair of irrigation works (Rs 80.10 crore), repair of community assets owned by panchayats (Rs 44.60 crore) and repair of primary school buildings (Rs 37.95 crore).
In the power sector, Hudhud has damaged 2155.99 km of conductor of 11 KV feeders, 239.95 km of conductor 33 KV feeders, eight power transformers 1754 distribution transformers, 1088.75 km of conductor LT (low tension) lines.
The entire amount in the SDRF corpus of the state for the year 2014-15 has been exhausted in meeting a part of expenditure commitments relating to Phailin-2013 and on relief measures for various calamities occurred during the current year. The state badly requires funds for meeting the un-discharged liabilities of Phailin 2013 and expenditure on other calamities occurred this year including cyclone Hudhud.
