Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday conducted an aerial survey of cyclone Fani ravaged Puri and Khurda districts and announced additional Rs 1000 crore cyclone aid for the State.
This is apart from Rs 341 crores already released to the State Government on April 29. He promised further assistance after the assessment by an inter-ministerial Central team.
The Prime Minister along with Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan conducted the aerial survey and later attended a review meeting at the airport here.
He praised the Odisha Government for evacuating more than a million people to safe places before cyclonic storm Fani hit the coast on May 3.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Odisha during the devastating calamity, the PM said, “Central Government is fully committed not only for providing immediate relief, but also to ensure rebuilding of the State.”
Modi further assured that the Union Government stands shoulder to shoulder with the people at this difficult time.
The Prime Minister also announced to provide Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia each for the kin of deceased in the natural disaster and Rs 50,000 for the injured. At least 34 people, including 21 from Puri district, have so far lost their lives on account of the cyclone.
During the review meeting, CM Naveen Patnaik submitted a memorandum of the Prime Minister urging him to release Rs 17,000 crore – Rs 10,000 crore for building cyclone-resistant electric infrastructure and Rs 7,000 crore for building five lakh cyclone-resistant pucca houses – in coastal districts.
The CM also urged the Prime Minister to take steps for building of cyclone-resistant telecommunication infrastructure in coastal parts of the State.
