Bhubaneswar, August 3: The Odisha government’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, announced on Monday that the state has intensified relief, rehabilitation, and damage assessment efforts in flood-affected areas. He assured that eligible individuals would receive compensation as per government regulations.
The minister reported that 22 districts, 85 blocks, and 656 gram panchayats have been impacted by the floods, affecting approximately 1,458 villages and 15 urban bodies. A total of 863,909 people have been affected across these districts.
So far, 267,301 individuals have been relocated to safer places or relief camps. The minister emphasized that officials have been instructed to ensure proper care for those residing in relief camps and to prevent them from returning to hazardous areas until conditions improve.
Relief operations are ongoing in the affected regions, with 529 relief camps and 31 animal relief camps currently operational. Essential supplies, including milk, biscuits, bread, and other necessities—especially for the elderly—are being distributed as relief material.
He also mentioned that the government is collaborating with the agriculture department to conduct ground-level assessments of crop damage and ensure that affected farmers receive appropriate compensation. A detailed assessment will be carried out at the district and grassroots levels before final compensation is disbursed.
Individuals whose homes, livestock, crops, and other properties have suffered damage will receive compensation according to government regulations. Under the current guidelines, ₹120,000 will be provided for completely damaged houses, while ₹6,500 will be allocated for partially damaged permanent homes. The government will also provide ₹8,000 for damaged huts and ₹3,000 for damaged cattle sheds.
Compensation will also be granted for other categories of loss, including livestock and household property damage. The minister confirmed that compensation for crop damage will be provided as well.
He stated that the agriculture department has been tasked with conducting a detailed assessment and preparing a necessary list of crop losses to ensure eligible farmers receive compensation.
Initial assessments indicate that several hectares of crop land, including rice, have been damaged, along with other crops. He assured that relevant departments have been mobilized to expedite compensation for those affected by the floods. A comprehensive assessment report will be prepared once reports from all districts are received.
Pujari also revealed that an initial amount of ₹1.1 billion has been allocated as temporary compensation to various districts as of Monday. The minister reiterated that the government will provide compensation to every eligible individual according to established regulations, ensuring that no genuine beneficiary is left without assistance.
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