IAF sends Orissa Rs 58 cr bill

bhubaneswar: the orissa government is finding it difficult to pay the whopping bill, amounting to rs 58 crore, to the indian air force (iaf) for relief and rescue operations carried out during the recent floods in the state. the government is likely to request the centre for assistance in this regard. sources in the state government said that the cash-strapped state government was in no position to pay the bill to the iaf, so they are planning to make an earnest request to the centre to pay the bill.the iaf has recently asked the state to pay up the rs 58 crore run up during rescue operations. what is surprising is that the state government has incurred the cost for airdropping foodstuff, medicines and other essential items worth only rs 60 lakhs. the iaf had airdropped food materials weighing 350 tonnes and another 150 tonnes of non-food items. we have been asked to pay more than what we have given to the affected areas, sources revealed. considering the rate at which the state government had been billed by the iaf, orissa might have to pay nearly rs100 crore to the indian army and the navy for the work done by them, the source pointed out.