PM announces cyclone relief package of Rs 500 crore for Odisha & Rs 500 crore for Bengal & Jharkhand

New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi Friday announced a financial assistance of Rs 1000 crore for immediate relief activities in cyclone affected areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

While Rs 500 crore would be immediately given to Odisha, another Rs 500 crores has been announced for West Bengal and Jharkhand, which will be released on the basis of the damage.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the seriously injured in the cyclone.

The Centre will deploy an Inter-Ministerial Team to visit the states to assess the extent of damage, based on which further assistance will be given.

The PM visited Odisha and West Bengal to review the situation arising out of cyclone Yaas. He undertook an aerial survey of the cyclone affected areas in Bhadrak and Baleswar districts of Odisha, and Purba Medinipur in West Bengal.

In Bhubaneswar, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting to review the relief and rehabilitation measures being undertaken.

The Prime Minister was briefed that maximum damage due to cyclone Yaas happened in Odisha, and some parts of West Bengal and Jharkhand have also been affected.

Prime minister assured the people of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand that the Central government would closely work with the State governments at this difficult time, extend all possible assistance for restoration and rebuilding of the infrastructure in the affected areas.

Prime minister expressed his complete solidarity with all those who suffered due to the cyclone and expressed deep sorrow to the families who have lost their kin during the calamity.

PM Modi appreciated the preparedness and disaster management activities by the government of Odisha which has resulted in minimal loss of lives. He also noted that the State has embarked on long term mitigation efforts for dealing with such natural disasters.

He also mentioned that disaster mitigation has been given emphasis by the Finance Commission too by provisioning for mitigation funds to the tune of Rs. 30,000 crore.