The recent spell of severe floods and incessant rainfall across Odisha has claimed seven human lives and caused widespread damage to livestock, crops, and infrastructure in 22 districts of the state.
Addressing the State Assembly in response to a question raised by MLA Tankadhar Tripathy, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari presented a detailed report on the extent of flood-induced destruction and the assistance provided by the state government.
According to official figures presented in the House, a total of 32,48,943 people across 22 districts have been affected by the torrential rains and heavy flooding. Along with seven human fatalities, the floodwaters resulted in the death of 93 domestic animals (livestock).
Extensive Damage to Property and Agriculture:
The natural calamity has severely impacted the rural economy and housing structure in affected areas.
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Crop Damage: Over 2,12,533 hectares of standing crops suffered severe loss.
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House Damage: A total of 18,076 residential houses were destroyed or partially damaged.
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Sand Casting: Agricultural fields faced heavy siltation and sand casting due to overflowing rivers.
Financial Assistance and Personal Compensation Package:
To mitigate the suffering of the affected population, the Odisha government has sanctioned ₹234.84 crore in personal compensation under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms. The breakup of financial aid includes:
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House Construction Assistance: Rs 33.73 crore allocated for repairing and rebuilding damaged houses.
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Crop Loss Relief: Rs 151.86 crore provided as compensation to farmers who suffered crop damage.
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Clothing & Utensils: Rs 9.47 crore for clothing and an equal Rs 9.47 crore for utensils/household items.
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Land Restoration: Rs 4.02 crore disbursed for the restoration of sand-casted farmland.
Distribution of Immediate Relief Materials
The state administration provided emergency relief supplies to ensure basic necessities reached the stranded populations:
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15,715 quintals of rice and 12,863 quintals of flattened rice (chuda)
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1,448 quintals of jaggery (gud)
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4,127 metric tonnes of cattle feed to preserve livestock
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28,651 tarpaulin/polythene sheets for emergency shelter
Infrastructure Repair and Departmental Allocations
The Minister also briefed the House regarding the damage inflicted on public infrastructure and the funds approved for quick restoration:
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Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department: Approved project proposals worth ₹421.89 crore for restoring damaged schools (3,428), community halls (134), GP/PS buildings (48), Anganwadi centres (2,165), bridges/culverts (2,345), and over 45,775 km of rural roads. An initial amount of ₹136.21 crore has already been disbursed.
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Energy Department: Incurred losses worth Rs 21.77 crore across power poles, distribution transformers, and lines. An amount of Rs 8.2 crore has been sanctioned from SDRF for immediate repair.
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Housing & Urban Development Department: Infrastructure damages total Rs 45.90 crore, including primary schools, urban primary health centres (PHCs), community centres, and roads. Approval for projects worth Rs 49.2 crore has been granted, with Rs 5.48 crore released for immediate restoration.
Minister Suresh Pujari assured the Assembly that the progress of repair work is being closely monitored and additional funds will be released progressively as ground-level work advances.
