PM Narendra Modi promises aid to Odisha to tide Cyclone Fani

Days after Cyclone Fani battered the costal districts of Odisha — particularly Puri and Khorda — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday conducted an aerial survey of cyclone-ravaged areas of the state.

Even as the state government's estimation put the death toll in Cyclone Fani at 35, sources told DNA that the death toll has already mounted to 50 and is climbing.

Meanwhile, continuing the coordination efforts and restoration measures in Odisha, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday announced a release of Rs 1,000 crore for assistance to the state. Earlier, Rs 341 crores had already been provided as an advance to its State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

"The Naveen Patnaik-led government has done a commendable job in evacuating the coastal areas to avoid loss of lives," PM Modi told reporters after the aerial survey.

"Shifting of more than 12 lakh people in a short span is not a small task. This has minimised loss of life. If a building collapses, we can rebuild it, but loss of life is irreplaceable. It is my greatest satisfaction that human lives have been saved," he said.

The Prime Minister added that "a long-term plan" will be prepared for dealing with such disasters in all coastal states of the country.

Earlier, PM Modi held a high-level review meeting with CM Patnaik on his arrival at the Bhubaneswar Airport. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi were also present in the meeting. The CM also submitted an interim memorandum to PM seeking an assistance of Rs 17,000 crore.

Odisha government asserted that restoration of power and telecommunication infrastructure, along with supplying drinking water continues to remain the major priority in the affected areas of the state.