Cyclone Amphan: Odisha receives Rs 500 Crores from Centre for relief and rehabilitation

The Central government transferred Rs 500 crore promised to Odisha government in order to ensure quick rehabilitation of those affected by Cyclone Amphan which struck the east coast of Inda earlier this week. The transfer comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Odisha and West Bengal to assess the situation in the two states. 

READ: Cyclone Amphan: PM Modi Declares Rs.500 Crore Assistance To Odisha, Lauds CM & His Team

Funds received

Additional Chief Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena mentioned in a tweet that the Home Ministry has released the funds to Odisha government which were promised by PM Modi on his visit.  

During his visit to Odisha, PM Modi mentioned that the super cyclone was a matter of great concern and lauded the efforts of the people, administration, and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and his team for containing the damage to a great extent and saving lives. While maintaining that there has not been much damage in Odisha as compared to West Bengal, the PM revealed that he took stock of the damage caused in Odisha as far as the housing, power, communication, agriculture, infrastructure sectors are concerned.

READ: Odisha CM Patnaik Speaks To Mamata, Assures Support Amid Amphan Crisis

Moreover, PM Modi also declared ex-gratia of Rs.2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs.50,000 for the seriously injured. He extended support to the Patnaik government to help the state recover from the impact of the cyclone. 

The state government has also stepped up the restoration operation in 10 cyclone-affected districts in the coastal and northern regions of the state, Jena said while speaking to the media. Altogether, 19 units of NDRF, 12 teams of ODRAF and 156 fire service teams have been deployed in the affected districts for clearance of supply lines, he said.

Four districts -- Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur -- have been severely impacted by the heavy downpour and high velocity winds triggered by Cyclone Amphan, as per the preliminary damage assessment report released by the state government on Saturday. The report states as many as 44,44,896 people have been affected in the 10 districts.

READ: 'Nation Stands In Solidarity', Says PM Modi Assures Centre's Full Support To WB & Odisha

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