Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has disbursed immediate financial assistance to five flood-affected districts through direct bank transfers, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Monday.
The affected districts—Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jajpur, and Bhadrak—were inundated due to heavy rainfall over the past few days, prompting swift response from the state administration.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said the government acted quickly after receiving detailed damage reports from district collectors.
“As soon as we received the flood damage reports, we sanctioned adequate financial aid. The district collectors were directed to ensure that relief reaches affected individuals without delay,” Pujari said.
Highlighting the use of technology in relief disbursal, Pujari said the government avoided manual, door-to-door distribution of cash to speed up the process.
“During the flood, field officials collected names and bank account details of the affected persons. This allowed us to transfer financial aid directly to their accounts in just one click,” he added.
According to the Minister, financial aid has been allocated under the following heads:
- Relief Camps and Materials: Food, water, medicine, and other essentials have been supplied to displaced families, especially children and the elderly, housed in temporary camps.
- Crop Loss Compensation: Financial support has been extended to farmers whose standing crops were damaged by floodwaters.
- Disinfection Measures: Funds have been allocated for sanitization efforts in affected areas to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
- Household Losses: Aid has been given to those whose homes were partially or fully damaged, as well as those who lost essential household items.
- Fishermen Relief: Members of the fishing community who suffered livelihood losses due to the floods have also been compensated.
- Rescued Persons: Financial assistance was also extended to individuals rescued during the peak of the flooding.
“The government has not withheld a single rupee. Every affected person is receiving full assistance based on their needs,” Pujari asserted.
The minister also warned of a new low-pressure system forming over South Odisha, which could bring more rain in the coming days. District collectors have been placed on high alert and preparedness measures are being reviewed.
“We are monitoring the situation closely. All districts have been asked to remain prepared for any eventuality,” Pujari said.
