Bhubaneswar: During a review meeting in Bhubaneswar, Odisha’s Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, Suresh Pujari, informed 28 districts of the State have been affected to varying degrees due to prolonged spells of heavy rainfall and floods this year.

In addition, southern Odisha was widely affected by rainfall associated with the recent Deep Depression. 

The Minister further stated so far this year, ₹241.37 crore has been disbursed as compensation to the affected people by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and the Special Relief Commissioner’s Office. Recently, ₹5 crore was provided to Nabarangpur district, ₹2 crore each to Ganjam and Gajapati districts, and ₹1 crore to Jharsuguda district.

He further informed ₹16.04 crore had been provided to Kendrapada district, out of which approximately ₹11.21 crore has already been disbursed. Similarly, ₹52.04 crore had been provided to Jajpur district, of which approximately ₹33.80 crore has been disbursed. In Bhadrak district, against the ₹64.54 crore provided towards compensation, ₹43.28 crore has already been utilised. Likewise, ₹26.92 crore had been provided to Baleshwar district, out of which approximately ₹5.94 crore has so far been utilised towards compensation.

Pujari held a detailed discussion with the Collectors of Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts and directed them to expedite the disbursement of compensation to the people affected by incessant rainfall and floods.

The Minister informed the disbursement of compensation in all districts will be completed in phases before the ensuing Dussehra.

He further informed detailed consultations would be held with Collectors, senior officers, subject-matter experts and concerned institutions for strengthening disaster-resilient infrastructure in the State, and necessary measures would be undertaken accordingly.

The meeting was attended by Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Southern Division RDC Sangram Keshari Mahapatra, Additional SRC Padmanabha Behera and senior officers. The Collectors of the concerned districts participated in the meeting through video conferencing.