BHUBANESWAR: Despite no demand from Odisha, the Centre has released an assistance of Rs 500 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for Cyclone Yaas relief after adjustment of 50 per cent of the opening balance of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
This was stated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Stating that the primary responsibility for disaster management including undertaking disbursal of relief to affected people at the ground-level rests with the State government, the Minister said that they undertake relief measures in the wake of natural disasters including cyclone and floods from the SDRF.
The Minister, however, said that additional financial assistance is provided from the NDRF in case of disaster of severe nature which includes an assessment based on the visit of an inter-ministerial Central team (IMCT).Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to Odisha in the aftermath of the cyclone and said that further assistance will be provided based on the assessment of damage by the IMCT. He had himself reviewed the situation here.
Cyclone Yaas had made a landfall on May 26, 2021 in Odisha at a place north of Dhamra and south of Haldia in West Bengal and caused extensive damage to the coastal districts of the State.Odisha government had not sought any financial assistance from the Centre and announced it will manage the crisis with its own resources. The State government had sought assistance from the Centre for long-term measures to make Odisha disaster resilient. It had also highlighted the need for disaster resilient power infrastructure and coastal protection.