State seeks 500cr interim Hudhud help

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday met Union finance minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi and sought Rs 500 crore interim assistance for the October 12 Hudhud cyclone damage.
The state government has so far not submitted any memorandum to the Centre, detailing Hudhud damage and funds required for relief, rehabilitation and restoration works.
Official sources here defended the delay, saying the memorandum was not sent purposely keeping in view Naveen's scheduled visit."The chief minister directly taking up the assistance need with the Union minister may yield better result," said a senior official in the special relief commissioner office.
He said the Centre sanctioned Rs 1000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund for Andhra Pradesh, where Hudhud impact and consequent damage was far worse, but nothing for Odisha. "After Phailin, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh got Rs 1000 crore each, though damage in the neighbouring state was much less. This time, Odisha has not been treated fairly," the official pointed out, adding, "The Centre's response to Odisha's demand is likely to be known in a week's time."
Naveen during his meeting informed Jaitley that the state was yet to receive Rs 399.83 crore due after Phailin.
He told Jaitley that lack of 'adequate central assistance' for Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and MGNREGS has adversely affected implementation of these schemes. In the last two years, the government received only Rs 53.47 crore towards AIBP as against Rs 2056.19 crore it spent. Similarly, under MGNREGS the state last year got only Rs 757.52 crore as against the allocation of Rs 1363.50 crore.