Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced a major relief package for families severely affected by the recent Cyclone Arnab. On Wednesday, the state government extended emergency relief assistance to all development blocks in Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal districts.
Under the announced relief package, each affected family will receive 50 kg of rice to ensure food security and financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to support their livelihoods. The initiative is part of a special relief package announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to provide immediate assistance to cyclone victims and help affected communities recover from the disaster.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh P. Patil has directed the district magistrates of the three affected districts to prepare lists of eligible families on a war footing and ensure their prompt verification.
District Civil Supplies Officers have been instructed to coordinate with the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation to ensure the uninterrupted supply and distribution of rice to affected households.
Additionally, financial assistance of Rs 2,500 will be transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. In remote areas where banking services have been disrupted, alternative payment arrangements authorized by the administration will be implemented to ensure that eligible families receive assistance without unnecessary delays.
Meanwhile, the state government has categorically rejected opposition allegations that the devastating floods in Ganjam district were “man-made.”
Addressing the media, Chief Secretary Anu Garg clarified that unprecedented and record-breaking rainfall over three consecutive days was the primary cause of the severe flooding. She firmly denied allegations of administrative negligence in dam management or the opening of reservoir gates.
According to the Chief Secretary, Patrapur block alone recorded 546 mm of rainfall in a single day, while several other areas received more than 300 mm of rainfall.
The Purushottampur gauge station on the Rushikulya River recorded a water discharge of 6,907 cubic metres per second (cumecs), nearly twice the river’s carrying capacity, further aggravating the flood situation.
The government maintained that the extraordinary volume of rainfall and the resulting surge in river levels were responsible for the widespread flooding and damage.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik raised serious concerns about the government’s handling of the floods and accused the BJP-led administration of negligence.
He alleged that despite advance warnings from the Meteorological Department, the authorities had failed to adequately monitor rising water levels and take appropriate preventive measures.
Both the BJD and Congress criticized the government’s disaster management efforts and demanded accountability for the alleged lapses in flood preparedness and response.
The opposition parties also questioned whether timely administrative intervention could have reduced the extent of the damage and prevented the loss of lives.
Cyclone Arnab has reportedly claimed 11 lives in various disaster-related incidents across Odisha, while six people remain missing.
The cyclone made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28, triggering heavy rainfall and severe flooding in several parts of Odisha, particularly in the southern districts.
The disaster caused extensive damage to homes, agricultural land, roads, electricity infrastructure, and other essential public facilities, disrupting normal life in several affected areas.
The state government has stated that essential services, including electricity and drinking water supplies, have been restored on a war footing in the affected regions. Reconstruction and rehabilitation activities are also progressing rapidly.
Officials have emphasized that the immediate priority is to ensure the timely distribution of food grains and financial assistance to affected families while accelerating restoration work and supporting the long-term recovery of cyclone-hit communities.
