Central team begins assessment of Cyclone Arnab damage in Odisha
An inter-ministerial team is visiting southern Odisha to evaluate losses from the cyclone and subsequent floods.
An eight-member central team started a two-day visit to southern Odisha on Tuesday to evaluate the impact of Cyclone Arnab and the resulting floods. According to reports from Deccan Chronicle, India Today and Odisha Bytes, the team is assessing damage to infrastructure, agriculture, roads, power, and water resources.
The group is led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The team visited Gajapati district on Tuesday and is scheduled to visit Ganjam district on Wednesday. The assessment follows the cyclone making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28.
The findings from this visit will be considered alongside the preliminary damage report from the State Government to determine the amount of financial assistance provided by the Centre. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said he has discussed the damage with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and noted that the state could use a supplementary budget for immediate costs if required.
The team includes officials from the ministries of agriculture, finance, Jal Shakti, power, rural development, and road transport and highways. It also includes representatives from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Central Water Commission, the Directorate of Rice Development, and the National Remote Sensing Centre.
Gajapati Collector Akshya Sunil Agrawal stated that a detailed briefing on the various types of damage reported across the district was presented at the collector's office. The state has reported extensive damage in the Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal districts.