Centre sanctions Rs 918 Crore for flood relief

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State Government cries hoarse over how little assistance it is getting from the Centre, the latter is reported to have sanctioned Rs 918 crore for flood assistance and rehabilitation.The High-Level Committee (HLC), headed by the Union Home Minister, has recommended Rs 918 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the State.However, the official proceedings and communication are yet to reach the State Government, the sources informed adding, a communication is expected anytime next week.Odisha which was devastated by two successive floods during September had submitted two memoranda seeking a combined assistance of Rs 3,265.8 crore. At least 21 out of 30 districts of the State had been affected by the floods in the Mahanadi and its tributaries.Earlier this month, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had shot off a letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee demanding immediate convening of the HLC to consider the financial assistance to the State. Naveen had also requested for an ad hoc assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for flood relief and rehabilitation works.After the devastating floods in July, the Centre had deputed an inter-ministerial central group (IMG) for assessment of losses. The team concluded its field visit on September 30. While the IMG had submitted its report, the HLC had not met to take a call.However, the State is unlikely to get the whole of ` 918 crore since 75 per cent of its calamity relief fund (CRF) allotment will be deducted from the total amount. “The State will get something around Rs 600 crore after the adjustments,” said the sources.While the flood assistance will give Congress the much-needed ammo to fight the BJD’s common refrain of Central negligence, the latter is most likely to use it to its advantage since the assistance is less than one third of its demand in the memoranda. Previously, in fact, the Centre had extended another Rs 815.4 crore to the State towards meeting the damage caused by drought as well as flood in 2010. After adjustments towards the CRF, the State had received Rs 560 crore from the NDRF.