BHUBANESHWAR: Odisha Government on Wednesday hiked exgratia amount for families of people killed in landslide and cyclone induced floods and announced to adoot the children, who have lost their parents in the calamity.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement after making an aerial survey of Baraghar village under Gangabada panchayat in Gajapati district where at least 15 persons were killed in landslide following heavy rain triggered by the cyclonic storm.
Naveen said the families who have lost their members in the calamity, would get an exgratia of Rs 10 lakh instead of Rs 4 lakh. The additional Rs 6 lakh will be met from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF), he said.
The CM landed at Champapur close to Baraghar and interacted with affected families. As many villagers expressed their willingness to move from the hilltop to different locations, he asked officials to go for vulnerability mapping of all villages and habitations located in hilly and difficult regions.
"All facilities will be extended to people wherever they shift to other locations. The new settlements will be declared as village and all basic amenities like drinking water, Anganwadi centres, schools, community centres and health facilities will be provided," the CM said.
He asked officials to immediately make provisions for connectivity, homestead land, house building assistance and social security cover. "The State will provide assistance for education and other expenses of those children who have been orphaned due the natural calamity," he announced.
The Chief Minister distributed land pattas to 66 families of Baraghar who will be settled in the nearby village as per their choice. All the families would be covered under Biju Pacca Ghara Yojona and education of their children would be taken care of by the State Government.
"Two siblings Simanchal Bhuyan and Kartik Bhuyan who lost their parents in the landslide would be extended all support till completion of their studies. The free kitchen would continue in the village till the villagers are relocated to their new habitation," the CM said.
Meanwhile, South Odisha districts are limping back to normalcy after six days of deluge. While people are busy in repairing of their houses, the administration is focusing on rehabilitation of people whose houses have been washed away in post-cyclone floods.
After a review meeting at the Secretariat, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi informed that 52 persons have lost their lives in the State in a post-cyclone situation with Gajapati district recording highest 39 deaths, followed by 12 in Ganjam district.
Preliminary estimate revealed that Odisha has incurred a loss of around Rs 2200 crore in the cyclonic storm that affected 57 lakh people in 16 districts.