A  high-level committee meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi has approved an additional Central assistance of Rs 3,338.22 crore for Cyclone Fani-affected Odisha.

Official sources on Tuesday said that besides the aid to Odisha, a sum of Rs 1,029.39 crore to Karnataka for drought and Rs 64.49 crore to Himachal Pradesh for avalanches and hailstorm have also been sanctioned.

This additional assistance to the States is over and above the funds released by the Centre to them in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at the disposal of the States.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Odisha on May 6, three days after the cyclone hit the State, and announced an immediate assistance of Rs 1,000 crore. In addition, an ex-gratia sum of Rs 2 lakh were provided to next of the family of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 to seriously injured in the cyclone from the PM’s Relief Fund.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the assistance of Rs 3,338.22 crore, saying that the assistance would strengthen of the State exchequer for restoration of infrastructure and livelihoods of millions affected in the Cyclone Fani.

“The Central assistance of Rs 3,338.22 core will strengthen exchequer for restoration of infra and livelihoods of millions affected in the State,” Patnaik Tweeted.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also thanked Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the assistance. The assistance would expedite relief and restoration works, he said.