Finance
The Odisha Government has allocated Rs 110 crore as financial help to 22 flood-affected districts and is aiming to further develop the state’s disaster management infrastructure with modern technologies and more precise weather forecasting systems.
Revenue & Disaster control Minister Suresh Pujari held a high-level review meeting on flood control and disaster preparedness today at Lok Seva Bhawan, which included senior officials from the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority.
The Minister urged officials to speed up damage assessments and the construction of Multipurpose Cyclone and Flood Shelters throughout the state. Post-flood damage assessment is being carried out on a war footing, with reports coming in on a regular basis from affected districts. As directed by the Minister, the assessment was completed within 72 hours of the floodwaters receding.
Among the major financial allocations, Balasore received ₹22.03 crore, Jajpur ₹20.20 crore, Bhadrak ₹20.12 crore, Jagatsinghpur ₹8.18 crore, Keonjhar ₹6.11 crore, Sambalpur ₹5.56 crore, Kendrapara ₹5.04 crore and Mayurbhanj ₹5.02 crore.
Pujari reported that Odisha had 65% more rainfall in July this year than in July last year, with certain places receiving rainfall up to 97% over normal. While floodwaters have receded in some rivers, water levels remain high in many areas. District administrations have been directed to submit full damage reports by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.
The Minister will hold another review meeting tomorrow evening with senior officers, District Collectors, BDOs, and Tahasildars from affected districts to discuss flood mitigation measures, repair of breached embankments, desiltation and deepening of river channels, and other long-term flooding management initiatives.
Pujari emphasized technology-driven readiness, saying 122 Early Warning Towers had been constructed along Odisha’s 573-kilometer coastline and will be upgraded with 360-degree surveillance cameras. The state is also combining satellite and high-speed communication equipment to improve connectivity between all 314 blocks and the central control center. Senior officials traveled to Goa and Kerala to investigate advanced early warning systems and best practices.
On weather forecasting, the Minister stated that Sambalpur’s Doppler Weather Radar is now functioning. Radars intended for Balasore and Bhubaneswar will be operational soon, while repairs and upgrades to existing radars in Gopalpur and Paradip are underway.
A new Doppler Weather Radar will also be installed at Puri. Once everything is completely operational, weather forecasting in Odisha will be substantially more accurate and precise.The group also agreed to improve reservoir management, water conservation, river water allocation, and drainage management. Water regulation throughout river systems will be improved through computerized monitoring and increased collaboration with adjacent governments.
The government has allocated ₹35 crore to the Forest Department to grow palm palms in agricultural fields to reduce lightning-related fatalities. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has recently started working with IIT Roorkee to address urban waterlogging induced by excessive rainfall.
Pujari reiterated the government’s commitment, saying the state is focusing on developing disaster management infrastructure to enable effective response and protect human lives and public property.
