Barely 24 hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement after his visit to the State on Friday did the Union Government on Saturday release Rs 500 crore as advance assistance to the State Government to undertake relief and restoration measures in the wake of Cyclone-Amphan.
The Union Ministry of Finance released the amount from the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF).
“Never in the history of the State was such alacrity experienced from the Union Government in releasing funds,” observed a senior officer in the State Department of Finance.
During Cyclone Fani, a similar announcement was made by the Prime Minister on May 6, 2019 and funds were released within a week’s time.
However, now, the Odisha model of disaster management is appreciated by the Prime Minister; and though the State Government did not demand any advance assistance, a happy Prime Minister announced such assistance, a State Government official said.
