The Odisha government received Central assistance of meagre one-sixth of the losses incurred in eight different cyclones that visited after the Super Cyclone 1999.
After the Super Cyclone 1999, the State was hit by Phailin (2013), Hudhud (2014), Titli, Phethai and Daye (2018), Bulbul and Fani (2019) and Amphan (2020). In these cyclones, Odisha suffered losses of life and property worth ₹31,945.80 crore.
“The State government had sought assistance to the tune of ₹29,480.37 crore from the Centre. However, the government has received only ₹5,285.65 crore,” Sudam Marandi, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, informed the Assembly.
As far as the loss is concerned, Phailin was the most devastating, with the State losing ₹14,373.47 crore. The government had then sought ₹4,242.41 crore assistance from the Centre whereas it received only ₹1,149.83 crore.
Two years ago, coastal Odisha was again devastated by cyclone Fani. The State government estimated the loss at ₹9,336.27 crore. Hudhud and Title followed the two major cyclones with estimated loss of ₹4,949.39 crore and ₹2,779.32 crore respectively. The Centre had granted ₹3,114.46 crore.
Fani had affected 20,367 villages whereas the impact of Phailin was experienced in 18,374 villages. Other six cyclones had impacted less than 10,000 numbers of villages.
Loss of life
Total 160 persons had died in the eight cyclones during the past two decades. While highest 72 had died in Titli cyclone, Fani claimed 64 lives. In four out of eight cyclones, as per Mr. Marandi’s reply, not a single life was lost.
Published - March 29, 2021 12:48 am IST
