BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Tuesday requested the Centre to provide housing assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) to people whose concrete houses with asbestos roof were destroyed due to extremely severe cyclonic storm C. The issue was taken up by Chief Secretary AP Padhi with Union Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha during a review of rescue, relief and restoration measures in the cyclone-affected areas of the State through video-conferencing here. Padhi said people having houses with asbestos sheets as wall and roof are not included in the list of socio-economic caste census (SECC) and are not eligible for rural housing assistance of the Centre.
As many such houses are partially or fully damaged in the cyclone hit areas, Padhi urged the Cabinet Secretary to relax norms to cover the affected people under the housing assistance scheme of the Centre. The Chief Secretary reiterated the State’s demand for early resumption of telecommunication services in the affected areas for better coordination and monitoring of relief and restoration works.
Senior officers of the Ministry of Telecommunications told Padhi that officials concerned are on the job to implement a priority plan for restoration of mobile and internet services in the affected areas. Mobile service providers have allowed free SMS and inter-circle roaming in these areas. Cellular towers on wheels will soon be deployed in Puri. It was reported that land line connectivity has been restored in Puri though mobile services still remain affected.
Since neighbouring States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal have extended manpower support, Padhi requested Sinha to ask the Railways to ensure free dispatch of men and materials for restoration works.
Meanwhile, the Centre has released an additional assistance of `1,000 crore to the State for undertaking relief and rehabilitation measures in the cyclone-hit areas. The assistance was announced by PM Narendra Modi during his visit to the State on Monday after an aerial survey of the cyclone-hit areas. The review was held at a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee.