Bhubaneswar, Nov 5 (UDN): An eight-member Central team on Thursday held discussions with senior Odisha government officials after completing a two-day assessment of the devastation caused by cyclone-induced floods in Ganjam and Gajapati districts.
The meeting, held at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, focused on the extent of damage to agriculture, houses, infrastructure and livelihoods in the affected areas. The Odisha government has estimated the cumulative damage across three districts at approximately Rs 2,526 crore.
The Central team had visited the flood-hit areas over the past two days, inspecting damaged properties and interacting with affected residents to assess the ground situation and understand the challenges faced by them.
Senior Officials Brief Central Assessment Team
Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Water Resources Department Secretary Shobha Sharma, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, the Development Commissioner, the Director General of Fire Services and other senior officials attended Thursday's meeting.
During the discussions, departmental secretaries presented details of the losses suffered by their respective sectors. The State government also submitted a preliminary memorandum outlining the estimated financial impact of the disaster.
According to the SRC, the Central team acknowledged the widespread destruction and the extraordinary nature of the flood situation.
Odisha Estimates Rs 2,526 Crore in Damage
The Special Relief Commissioner said preliminary assessments received from various government departments indicated that the total damage across three affected districts stood at around Rs 2,526 crore.
The memorandum containing the initial damage estimates has been submitted to the Central team for consideration.
The assessment is expected to form an important basis for determining the extent of financial assistance that Odisha may receive from the Centre for rehabilitation and restoration work.
Report to Be Submitted to Centre
Following the meeting, the eight-member team is scheduled to return to New Delhi and submit its findings to the Central government.
The report will provide an assessment of the damage witnessed during the field inspections and the State government's financial requirements for addressing the aftermath of the floods.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has already announced a special assistance package for people affected by the disaster.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday and discussed the flood situation, the extent of destruction and the State's requirement for Central assistance.
The State government is now awaiting the Central team's assessment and subsequent decisions on financial support for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in the affected districts.
