The Odisha government has decided to further strengthen the state’s disaster management infrastructure by expediting key mitigation projects, including the installation of Doppler Weather Radars and the construction of Multipurpose Flood and Cyclone Centres.

The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan on Saturday. The meeting focused on enhancing the effectiveness of Odisha’s disaster preparedness and response mechanism.

Addressing senior officials, the Minister assured that the State Government would provide all necessary financial support and infrastructure required for disaster management.

“There will be no constraints in providing funds and necessary infrastructure for disaster management,” Pujari said, while directing departments to accelerate ongoing projects.

A detailed review was conducted on the utilisation of funds under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The Minister also assessed the progress of projects being implemented under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) and the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), instructing departments to complete them well before the prescribed deadlines.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of the construction of Multipurpose Flood and Cyclone Centres across the state. The Minister directed officials to identify suitable sites in various districts at the earliest, improve inter-departmental coordination, and expedite construction to strengthen Odisha’s disaster response capacity.

On weather monitoring infrastructure, officials informed the meeting that the Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur is in its final stage of installation and will be commissioned shortly. The Minister also reviewed the proposed Doppler Radar projects at Balasore, Bhubaneswar, and Puri, directing that all installations be completed within the current year.

The meeting further assessed Odisha’s preparedness for the possible impact of El Niño. Officials decided to maintain close coordination with the Water Resources Department to ensure optimum utilisation of reservoirs, irrigation projects, and water storage facilities for agricultural purposes.

The Minister also instructed officials to complete the proposed Heat Wave Centres in identified vulnerable districts before the onset of the next summer season.

The review meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Arabinda Padhee, Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department Shubha Sharma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Rural Development Department Yamini Sarangi, IMD Bhubaneswar Director Dr. Manorama Mohanty, senior officials of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), and representatives from various departments.