New Delhi: The High Level Committee headed by Amit Shah Tuesday approved an additional assistance of Rs 3338.22 crore to Odisha for rehabilitation and restoration works in the areas affected by severe cyclone Fani, which hit the State on May 3. The Committee has also approved Rs 1029.39 crore assistance to Karnataka for drought and Rs 64.49 crore for Himachal Pradesh for avalanches and hailstorm.
As per official sources, the additional assistance is over and above the funds released by the Centre to the States through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at the disposal of various States.
The Centre had released Rs 340.87 crore to Odisha in advance on April 29 from the SDRF. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also announced immediate assistance of Rs 1,000 crore after his aerial survey of the cyclone ravaged areas in Odisha on May 6. Besides, an ex-gratia sum of Rs 2 lakh was provided to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured in the Cyclone Fani from the PM’s Relief Fund.
The State government has sought Rs 17,000 crore from the Centre for the relief and restoration work in the Fani affected areas. As per ‘The Cyclone Fani – Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment (DLNA)’ report prepared by the World Bank the damages due to severe cyclone Fani has been estimated at Rs 24,176 crore.
