Bhubaneswar: Terming the impact of recent
drought in parts of Orissa as significant, the visiting
central team today said it would soon submit a report to the
Centre.
"One can feel impact of drought in parts of Orissa",
which is significant, team leader and Joint Secretary in the
Agriculture Ministry Atanu Purkayasth told reporters here.
Divided into three groups, the team members "visited
Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Angul and Kalahandi
districts", Purkayasthhe said adding the team would soon
submit its report to the Centre.
The 12-member team met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
here after winding up its field visits.
To a question on the amount of drought assistance
to the state, Purukayasth said, "it could be more or little
less than the demand made by the state government."
The team, which was handed over a copy of the state's
memorandum given to Centre last month, said it would compile
facts before submitting the report.
Earlier the state government which had declared 15 of
the state's 30 district as drought-hit, had demanded Rs 2257
crore as assistance from the centre.
While the state had provided assistance to the
affected people in drought-hit districts, the Centre had
so far released Rs 176 crore in two instalments.
"Our requirement is much more than what the state had
received from the calamity relief fund (CRF) so far", a senior
official in revenue and disaster management department said
adding state's annual quota in CRF is Rs 339 crore.
Patnaik expressed optimism of getting required
assistance, while Revenue Minister S N Patro said "we hope the
Centre will release funds in accordance with the demand made
by us."
PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 07, 2010, 23:02