Bhubaneswar: The Centre has approved an additional central assistance of Rs 1554.99 crore under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to five states, including Odisha, affected by floods, flash floods, landslides and cyclonic storms during 2024.
The other four states are Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Telangana, and Tripura.
Taking to his official X handle, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that this is in addition to the Rs. 18,322.80 crore released by the centre to 27 states under the SDR fund. “The Modi government stands like a rock in support of the disaster-affected people,” he added.
According to an official statement, ₹608.08 crore of of the total amount of ₹1554.99 crore has been approved for Andhra Pradesh, ₹170.99 crore for Nagaland, ₹255.24 crore for Odisha, ₹231.75 crore for Telangana and ₹288.93 crore for Tripura. This subject to an adjustment of 50 per cent of the opening balance for the year available in the SDRF.
The Centre had deputed Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to these states, immediately after the calamities, without waiting for the receipt of formal memorandums, it added.
This came less than a week after Rajya Sabha member from BJD Sasmit Patra reiterated the party’s demand for special category state status to Odisha, which faces massive and frequent natural disasters frequently. He argued in the Upper House that Odisha was neglected again in Union Budget 2025-26 though the BJP in its 2014 election manifesto promised special category status for the state.
Natural calamities in Odisha in 2024
Odisha’s Balasore and Bhadrak districts witnessed flash floods due to intense rainfall after Severe Cyclone Dana made landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra shortly after midnight on October 24.
Unseasonal rain owing to a depression lashed several parts of the state from December 20 to 22, causing damage to standing crops in coastal and interior districts.
In January this year, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi declared the unseasonal rain as a natural calamity and announced Rs 291 crore compensation from the state disaster response fund (SDRF). to 6.66 lakh farmers who suffered crop losses across 16 districts.
