Bhubaneswar: Hit hard by recent cyclone Arnab, the Odisha has sought financial assistance of Rs 2,526 crore from the Centre for the damage caused by the storm and subsequent floods in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamala districts.
The demand was placed before the eight-member Central team that conducted field assessment of the cyclone and flood-hit areas and met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
Sharing this information, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said the state government has also sought an additional Rs 10,000 crore as special assistance to undertake long-term measures to prevent recurring flood damage.
The Central team, led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, visited several flood-affected areas in Gajapati and Ganjam districts to assess the extent of damage to standing crops, irrigation infrastructure, roads, bridges and electricity networks.
During the discussion, the Chief Minister said natural calamities like floods, cyclones and heatwaves frequently occur in the state. This hampers development work. Therefore, he suggested that the central team should focus not only on immediate relief and reconstruction assistance in its report, but also on permanent solutions.
The Chief Minister said that cyclone and flood-resilient infrastructure is highly needed in the state. This will provide a permanent solution to the people of Odisha and accelerate development instead of hindering it.
During its visit to Ganjam, the team inspected flood-damaged paddy fields, particularly crops that were nearing harvest when the floods hit. It also interacted with affected farmers to understand their losses and difficulties.
The team visited damaged lift irrigation points and breached embankments along the Rushikulya river. It also inspected damaged bridges and roads washed away by floodwaters.
Team head Ravi Shankar said the floods left a widespread impact on the common people. In Ganjam, water from the Rushikulya river has inundated many areas, causing sand deposits. Sand has entered farmlands, roads, houses and offices. In many places, although houses have not collapsed, they have become weak.
He said there is a need to desilt the Rushikulya river on a long-term basis.
He said it will take 7-8 days to make a complete assessment of the damage caused by this widespread disaster.
Appreciating the state government, Ravi Shankar said the Odisha government has carried out relief and restoration work at a fast pace after the cyclone and flood. He said roads have mostly been made motorable and power supply has been restored.
During the meeting, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari highlighted the damage and the government’s response measures. Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the state government has made a preliminary assessment of the damage and submitted a demand letter to the central government for relief and restoration.
According to the SRC, the Central team will submit its damage assessment report to the Centre within eight to 10 days.
It may be noted that Chief Minister Majhi met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday and discussed the post-cyclone situation in the state, ongoing relief and restoration measures and long-term strategies to strengthen disaster management infrastructure.
The meeting took place on the second day of Majhi’s two-day visit to the national capital. The chief minister had attended the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Exhibition 2026 on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Majhi said he had a courtesy meeting with Shah during his Delhi visit. They held detailed discussions on the situation following the recent cyclone, relief and rehabilitation measures and strengthening infrastructure to ensure a more effective and sustainable response to natural disasters in the coming years.
The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the Home Minister for the Centre’s prompt assistance and continued cooperation in disaster management.
The meeting assumes significance as Odisha continues its post-cyclone restoration and relief operations following cyclone Arnab which affected several districts of the state.
The state government has announced a relief package for affected families and farmers, while restoration of essential services and assessment of damage are also underway.