Centre sends eight-member team to Odisha to assess Cyclone Arnab damage
The team will conduct field inspections to determine the amount of central assistance required for the state.
An eight-member Central Inter-Ministerial Team will visit Odisha from November 2 to 4 to evaluate the impact of Cyclone Arnab, according to ANI. The team, headed by Union Home Ministry Joint Secretary Ravi Shankar, will hold talks with the state government and inspect affected areas.
The mission aims to assess the scale of destruction to guide the provision of central financial aid to the state. This follows Cyclone Arnab hitting the coasts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, causing loss of life and property.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a special assistance package on Sunday for families and farmers in districts including Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal. The announcement was made during a review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Bhubaneswar.
Under the package, every affected family will get Rs 2,500 in cash and 50 kilograms of rice. For those with homes completely or severely damaged, the government will provide Rs 1.20 lakh in plain areas and Rs 1.30 lakh in hilly regions, plus Rs 2,500 for utensils.
Farmers facing crop losses of at least 33 per cent will receive subsidies. These include Rs 8,500 per hectare for unirrigated land, Rs 17,000 for irrigated land, and Rs 22,500 for perennial crops. A minimum support of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 will be given based on land type.
Additional relief includes Rs 27,500 per hectare for 2,000 hectares of sugarcane land and a 75 per cent subsidy on Rabi crop pesticides. The state will also provide 1,20,000 pulse kits, 5,000 oilseed kits, and 50,000 vegetable kits.