JAGATSINGHPUR: Resentment is brewing among the cyclone Fani-hit people of the coastal district over lack of adequate fund allocation for rebuilding measures by the state government.
The district has received a meagre fund of Rs 19.7 crore towards reconstruction of damaged houses, school and panchayat buildings, anganwadi and community centres when the demand was more than Rs 55 crore.
The district administration had estimated Rs 22.54 crore for housing damage, Rs 15.9 crore for agricultural loss, Rs 9.96 crore for school and anganwadi buildings and Rs 6.65 crore for roads.
Biridi and Raghunathpur were declared as fully damaged blocks in the district.
Around 11 lakh people in 1,308 villages under 198 panchayats were severely affected by the cyclone.
The housing damage in Biridi, Jagatsinghpur, Raghunathpur, Erasama, Kujang, Naugaon, Tirtol and Balikuda blocks was estimated at Rs 13.58 crore, Rs 5.29 crore, Rs 78 lakh, Rs 64.57 lakh, Rs 12.55 lakh, Rs 68.55 lakh, Rs 61.11 lakh and Rs 32.52 lakh respectively.
Meanwhile, the administration has disbursed Rs 2.74 crore to Biridi, Rs 2.02 crore to Jagatsinghpur, Rs 2.3 crore to Raghunathpur, Rs 3.2 crore to Erasama, Rs 2.82 crore to Kujang, Rs 1.08 crore to Naugaon, Rs 2.08 crore to Tirtol and Rs 3.48 crore to Balikuda for reconstruction of houses and public buildings.
Cyclone affected people alleged that they have not received their compensation towards house damage even two months after the cyclone hit the district.
While the people in fully-damaged blocks are eligible to get cash compensation of Rs 2,500, they have received only Rs 500.
BJP leader Ramakant Bhoi said the government negligence has caused strong resentment among the affected people in the district. Project Director of DRDA Balgopal Acharya said, “The district has received Rs 19.7 crore towards reconstruction of school and panchayat buildings, anganwadi centres, and community centres. We have disbursed Rs 2 lakh to each housing unit for repair.”