Following the devastation left in the wake of Cyclone ‘Arnab’, an eight-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) dispatched by the Union Government is set to visit Odisha from November 2 to 4.
The high-level delegation will conduct comprehensive on-ground assessments of the regions battered by the cyclone and the subsequent severe flooding.
Led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the team will evaluate the catastrophic impact on critical sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, roadways, power grids, and water resources.
Shankar is scheduled to arrive at the Bhubaneswar airport on the evening of November 2. The remaining team members are expected to reach the state capital by the evening of November 2 or the morning of November 3.
Following preliminary discussions with state government officials, the IMCT will follow a targeted itinerary to inspect the most heavily impacted zones. The central delegation comprises specialized officials from various ministries to ensure a holistic evaluation of the losses:
- Dr. Man Singh, Director, Directorate of Rice Development, Dept. of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Patna
- Rahul Chaurasia, Deputy Director (PFS), Dept. of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi
- Dilip Kumar Jena, Director (M&A Directorate), Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Bhubaneswar
- Karan Sarin, Deputy Director, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Ministry of Power, New Delhi
- Sunil Kumar, Superintending Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Bhubaneswar
- Ajay Kumar Sahu, Under Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi
- C. Sai Krishna, Scientist ‘D’, National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO, Hyderabad
Beyond calculating infrastructural and agricultural deficits, the IMCT will closely monitor the current ground-zero situation and review the efficiency of the ongoing rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations.
The Odisha State Government is actively coordinating the logistics, accommodation, and transport for the delegation to ensure a seamless inspection process.
