New Delhi: Orissa today demanded immediate
release of Rs 1000 crore as advance assistance from the
national disaster response fund to help the state carry out
repair and restoration work after the recent floods.
State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who met Home
Minister P Chidambaram, said, "I requested the Home Minister
to immediately consider releasing Rs 1000 crore to enable the
state sustain its efforts."
The state has endured a loss of Rs 3265 crore in various
sectors due to the floods, he told reporters.
The Home Minister, officials said, informed the Chief
Minister that a central team, which visited the state to
assess the damage, will submit its final report by October 24
following which high-level committee will consider approving
assistance to the State.
During their discussion about steps to tackle the Naxal
problem int the state, Chidambraram said the Centre has
approved inclusion of Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir and Kalahandi
districts under the security-related expenditure scheme,
following a demand in this regard.
According to a release issued by the state government,
Chidambaram also informed the Chief Minister that one
additional battalion of CRPF will be deployed in Orissa
shortly while deployment of BSF battalion will take another
two to three months.
The Centre has also placed indent for 2 MI-17 choppers
and placement is expected shortly, which will be put at the
disposal of the state police, the Home Minister said.
Patnaik, during the interaction, pressed for waiver of
charges of Rs 567.55 crore towards deployment of CPMF till
June this year.
He also requested the Home Minister to entrust
construction of Gurupriya bridge in Naxal-hit Malkangiri
district of the state to central paramilitary force for
effectively carrying out anti-maoist operations.
PTI
First Published: Friday, October 21, 2011, 14:46