Eight-member central team to visit Odisha to assess cyclone damage
The team will visit Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts from November 2 to 4 to evaluate losses from Cyclone Arnab.
An eight-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) will visit Odisha from November 2 to 4 to assess damage caused by Cyclone Arnab and subsequent floods, according to Sambad English. The team will tour affected areas in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts to conduct on-the-spot assessments of destruction.
The assessment will cover sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, roads, electricity, water resources and other essential services. The team will also review rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations undertaken by the state government. The findings will help the Centre evaluate disaster-related losses to determine required financial assistance, OTV reported.
The team is led by Ravi Shankar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Other members include Dr Man Singh of the Directorate of Rice Development, Rahul Chaurasia from the Department of Expenditure, Dilip Kumar Jena of the Central Water Commission, Karan Sarin from the Central Electricity Authority, Sunil Kumar from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ajay Kumar Sahu from the Ministry of Rural Development, and C. Sai Krishna, a scientist from the National Remote Sensing Centre.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the Centre would consider both the state's preliminary damage report and the central team's findings before deciding on assistance. Majhi stated that central assistance would be provided based on the final report and noted that the state could use the supplementary budget if required.