BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Wednesday released an assistance of Rs 423 crore to the collectors of districts hit by cyclonic storm Dana for payment of compensation to the affected people.
Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari told mediapersons here that the district collectors have been asked to distribute the compensation amount to affected people within seven days in online mode.
Energy, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development (RD) departments, which were the worst affected, have also been provided financial assistance for repair of infrastructure damaged in the cyclone. The government has also received damage report from the Water Resources department.
Pujari said public infrastructure worth Rs 512.26 crore was damaged in the storm. The Odisha government pegged the total damage caused in the state at Rs 616.19 crore.
The minister further said the crop damage has been estimated at Rs 82.92 crore. The cyclone affected over 3.62935 lakh hectare of cultivated land. The crop has been damaged in over 1.72356 lakh hectares. More than 33 per cent crop loss will make a farmer eligible for compensation.
At least 16,417 houses estimated at around Rs 21.31 crore have been damaged by the cyclone.
“Compensation will be provided to people, whose houses were partially or completely damaged. In the latter case, houses will be provided under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana,” he said.
Over 41.04 lakh people of 131 blocks in 14 districts were either partially or fully affected by the cyclone and the subsequent heavy rainfall and floods. The state government spent over Rs 23.73 crore for relief and restoration measures. Compensation will be provided to the affected people without waiting for the central assistance, Pujari added.