Modi surveys cyclone-hit Odisha

■ PM announces `500 crore for state, `2 lakh to kin of deceased

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conducted an aerial survey of the cyclone-hit pockets of Odisha and announced an immediate assistance of `500 crore for the state.

The `500-crore was part of an overall financial assistance of `1,000 crore. The remaining `500 crore has been announced for West Bengal and Jharkhand to carry out immediate relief activities.

The Centre would release more funds after receiving the cyclone damage assessment reports from the affected states. Sources said the Centre would send an inter-ministerial committee to assess the damage basing on which financial assistance will be released.

He also announced an ex-gratia of `2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and `50,000 to the seriously injured ones in the cyclone.

Mr Modi also made an aerial survey of cyclonehit pockets of West Bengal and later reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting in Kolkata.

According to the PMO. Mr Modi undertook an aerial survey of Bhadrak and Balasore districts of Odisha; add and Purba Medinipur in Bengal.

Before his survey, the PM upon his arrival in Bhubaneswar chaired a review meeting on the relief and rehabilitation measures being undertaken by the state government. He was briefed that maximum damage happened in Odisha, and some parts of West Bengal and parts of Jharkhand have also been affected.

“The PM assured the people of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand that the Centre would closely work with the state governments at this difficult time, extend all possible assistance for restoration and rebuilding of the infrastructure in the affected areas,” Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who accompanied the PM during the aerial survey, said.

BEFORE HIS survey, the PM upon his arrival in Bhubaneswar chaired a review meeting on the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken