Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has announced the extension of emergent relief assistance to all blocks of Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamala districts to support families affected by Cyclone ‘Arnab’.
According to a press release issued by the Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) on Wednesday, every family in all blocks of the three districts will receive 50 kg of rice and financial assistance of Rs 2,500 under the relief package announced by the Chief Minister.
The decision has been taken as part of the State Government’s ongoing relief measures aimed at providing immediate support to cyclone-affected households and ensuring that essential assistance reaches beneficiaries without delay.
To facilitate the distribution process, the District Collectors of Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamala have been directed to immediately undertake the enumeration and verification of eligible families. The exercise will cover all blocks to ensure transparency, accuracy and timely delivery of relief materials.
The district administrations have also been instructed to coordinate with the respective District Civil Supplies Officers (CSOs) and the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) for the immediate requisition and lifting of the rice stocks required for distribution.
Meanwhile, the financial assistance of Rs 2,500 per family will primarily be transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. In areas where banking services have been disrupted due to the cyclone, the administration will adopt authorised alternative payment methods while maintaining proper records to ensure accountability.
To closely monitor the implementation of the relief package, the State Government has directed the concerned District Collectors to submit daily, block-wise progress reports detailing the distribution of rice and cash assistance.
The reports must be submitted to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) by 5 PM every day until the entire relief distribution exercise is completed.
The latest directive is expected to strengthen ongoing relief operations in the three districts and expedite the delivery of essential food supplies and financial assistance to families affected by Cyclone ‘Arnab’.
