Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Thursday reviewed the final assessment of flood damage and the distribution of compensation to affected people across the state. He directed officials to complete the distribution of all remaining compensation within the next 72 hours.
The review meeting was held at Rajiv Bhavan in the presence of senior departmental officials, while district collectors and other district-level officers participated virtually.
Floods Affected 28 Districts
According to Pujari, Odisha experienced 12 low-pressure systems this year, six of which intensified into depressions, causing widespread damage across nearly 28 districts. Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur were among the worst-affected districts, although almost every district experienced some impact.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced a compensation package of Rs 1,000 crore for flood-affected areas. Assistance has been provided for damaged agricultural land and crops, houses, household utensils, boats and fishing nets.
Rs 288.72 Crore Released for Relief
The Special Relief Commissioner has released Rs 288.72 crore towards relief camp management, house repairs, agricultural assistance and other compensation measures.
The government had directed officials to ensure that compensation reached affected people by October 10. During the review, the minister noted that distribution had reached the final stage in almost all districts.
He instructed officials to ensure that the remaining beneficiaries receive their compensation within 72 hours.
Departments Begin Repair and Restoration Work
Funds have also been provided to departments, including Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Water Resources, Housing and Urban Development, and Forest, Environment and Climate Change, for necessary repair and restoration work.
Officials informed the meeting that the respective departments had begun implementing the required measures.
Measures to Prevent Urban Flooding
Pujari said the government would take comprehensive steps to reduce the impact of prolonged rainfall and urban flooding in the coming days.
Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Aravind Kumar Padhee and Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, attended the meeting alongside other departmental representatives.