In a high-level review meeting held at Lokaseva Bhawan, Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari closely examined the ongoing assessment of flood damage caused by recent heavy rains and overflowing rivers.
Senior officials from multiple departments and Collectors of the affected districts joined the discussions. While final reports from most impacted areas have already reached the state government, the Minister directed remaining districts—where flood waters have not fully receded—to submit complete assessments as soon as the situation normalises.
Preliminary figures indicate that nearly 23 districts have been partially or extensively affected. So far, 3,567 houses and 37,297 hectares of agricultural land have been reported damaged. These numbers are expected to rise once comprehensive reports arrive in the next one or two days.
Minister Pujari instructed all district administrations to accelerate both the final damage assessment and the distribution of compensation. The state has already released Rs 110 crore in assistance. District authorities have been authorised to transfer this amount directly to the bank accounts of affected individuals and eligible beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Officials were also told to prepare a detailed database of victims and share it with the department.
Beyond immediate relief, the meeting covered broader issues: the simultaneous flooding of multiple rivers this year, drainage challenges, the need for embankments, and repairs to national highways and other roads frequently inundated during floods. The Minister assured that funds for strengthening vulnerable infrastructure would be provided once district reports are received. Departments including Power, Women & Child Development, Panchayati Raj, and others were asked to submit their own damage reports, with necessary allocations to be considered in the upcoming budget.
Looking ahead, the government reaffirmed its commitment to building disaster-resilient infrastructure. A special proposal is being prepared in consultation with experts, taking climate change into account. Discussions also covered selecting ten urban areas as model cities for tackling city flooding and waterlogging, with dedicated funding planned.
The meeting was attended by Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Principal Secretary of Water Resources Subha Sarma, and senior officers from Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries & Animal Resources, Panchayati Raj, Handlooms, Housing & Urban Development, Works, Power, NHAI, OSDMA, and other key departments.
Odisha continues to balance swift relief for those affected today with stronger measures to reduce the impact of future floods.
