Odisha extends cyclone relief to all blocks in Ganjam Gajapati Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar, Nov 11 (PTI) The Odisha government on Wednesday decided to extend emergency relief assistance to all blocks in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts to support households affected by Cyclone Arnab.

    The decision follows the relief package announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, under which every affected family in all blocks of the three districts will receive 50 kg of rice and financial assistance of Rs 2,500.

    In a statement, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh P Patil said the district collectors of Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal had been directed to immediately undertake enumeration and verification of eligible families to ensure smooth, transparent and timely distribution of relief.

    The SRC also instructed the district administrations to coordinate with District Civil Supplies Officers (CSOs) and the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) for immediate requisition and lifting of rice stocks.

    The financial assistance of Rs 2,500 per family will primarily be transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries' bank accounts.

    In areas where banking services have been disrupted, authorised alternative modes of disbursement will be used, with proper records maintained, the statement said.

    To ensure accountability and speedy implementation, the three district collectors have been asked to submit daily block-wise progress reports on rice and cash distribution to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) until the relief exercise is completed.

    Earlier, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik had alleged that the relief package announced by the state government was inadequate and demanded immediate rehabilitation of affected families.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)