Bhubaneswar: The Centre on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 918.30 crore as flood assistance to Odisha besides agreeing to bear the expenses incurred towards air-dropping of food materials during relief operations in the state.
However, chief minister Naveen Patnaik smelt a rat from the point of timing of the announcement.
Though the Centre has provided the highest-ever amount as flood assistance, it will certainly help in the reconstruction activities in the flood-affected areas which the state government has already began, he said.
However, he was critical over the timing of release of the funds, stating that there is a smell of panchayat elections.
On the other hand, the Congress came down heavily on the chief minister for not expressing his thanks to the Centre for releasing the highest-ever flood assistance to Odisha.
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Bhupinder Singh asked the chief minister to see that the funds were not used as BJD election expenditure, while urging the people to remain vigilant.
Instead of remaining obliged for the assistance, the chief minister saw motive behind the release of funds, Singh said while describing the former’s statement as unfortunate.
He lamented that the state government had been criticising the Centre for not releasing the flood assistance early and now when the funds were released, the chief minister was smelling a rat.
Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said that the state government has received a letter from the Centre confirming sanction of Rs 908.30 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and Rs 10 crore from National Rural Drinking Water Scheme.
Stating that the state government had sought an assistance of Rs 3,265 crore from the Centre for relief, rescue and restoration activities in the flood affected districts, the SRC said that at least 21 of the 30 districts of the state were affected in the calamity.
The Centre has also agreed to bear the expenses of air-dropping of food materials. At least 82 sorties were made during the relief operation the cost of which could be Rs 3.1 crore, the SRC told reporters here, adding that the total assistance towards flood would be around Rs 921.40 crore.
The state had witnessed two spells of floods due to depression induced heavy rainfall at upper catchment areas of river Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani and other major rivers of the state in the first week of September and middle of that month.
Besides a large number of live stocks, at least 87 persons were killed in the calamity and a large number of houses were damaged in the twin floods.