Centre sanctions Rs 380 cr natural calamity assistance to Odisha

BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI: The Union Government on Monday sanctioned Rs 380 crore as natural calamity assistance for Odisha.

The fund was sanctioned from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).

Notably, arrear of Rs 399 crore was pending against the centre for cyclonic storm Phailin, which had devastated the coastal Odisha in October 2013.

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday chaired a meeting of the High-Level Committee (HLC) at New Delhi for central assistance to states affected by drought, landslides and flood.

The Committee examined the proposals based on the report of the central team which visited the affected states by severe natural disasters.

The HLC approved the assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) in respect of Chhattisgarh to the tune of Rs 925 crore, Rs.1104 crore for West Bengal and Rs.34 crore for Manipur.

The committee also reviewed the decision in the case of Odisha and approved an assistance of Rs.380 crore.

Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Agriculture Secretary Siraj Hussain and senior officers of the ministries of Home, Finance and Agriculture attended the meeting.